Dragon Ball Z: History of Gohan
by TheStormPow
Summary: This is different take on the "History of Trunks" and the android/cell sagas of the anime, depicting the story as Gohan traveling to the past instead of Trunks. The story is filled with drama, action, and character development, as the timeline quickly goes awry with inadvertent changes to the future.
1. Chapter 1: Prove Everyone Wrong

_**Dragon Ball Z: History of Gohan - Chapter 1**_

Trunks was frantically running down a beaten alleyway. Sweat dripped down his forehead as his stamina began to weaken. Every step he took was one step deeper into his pride being lost. Instead of fighting the threats that faced him, he ran away from them, waiting for Gohan to save him. What would his father think?

Androids 17 and 18 had it in for Trunks. He was a meddling brat that didn't know his place. The evil humanoids had killed Goku, Krillin, Piccolo, and even his father Vegeta. All Trunks had in this world was his mother Bulma and his best friend Gohan. Instead of protecting his mother, he ran away, fearing for his own life. Even from the beginning of their chase, Trunks could tell they weren't going at their potential speed. The androids were toying with him; waiting for him to lose all of his energy on his own before they beat him to a bloody pulp. Why they were allowing him to live this long, he didn't know. He always had the philosophy of defeating the enemy while he had the chance, unlike his father, who enjoyed to test his limits more so. The many questions that were running through his head finally led Trunks to stop the pursuit.

"Have you been working out, kid? You've ran further today than you have in a while," Android 18 commented facetiously.

"You're not trying to hit on this wimp, are you, 18?" Android 17 asked.

"Hehe.. Nah. I wouldn't even hit on his big Gohan friend. Though I am gonna _**kick**_ on him!" Android 18 replied, as she kicked the cornered Trunks in the jaw.

Trunks wiped the blood off of his face and rubbed his jaw, "Good, because Gohan wouldn't want you anyway, metallic freak!"

Android 17 did a vanishing move, coming as physically close to Trunks as possible, "That's my sister you're talking about, pal. I suggest you take it back."

"Never! I won't let you two get away with this any longer!" Trunks shouted as he punched Android 17 in the chest.

"Take it..." Android 18 quietly said. She vanished behind Trunks, "back!" she shouted as she kicked him once more, this time from behind. Android 17 dodged Trunks' flying body and watched him hit the nearby building. Trunks began to collect himself as best he could, staring at the androids, uncertain as to whether or not he should try to retaliate in this condition.

"How would you like it if I talked badly about an important lady in your life, Trunks?" Android 17 hypothetically asked.

It took him a moment to realize exactly what he meant, "You stay away from my mother, you monster! She hasn't done anything to anyone!"

"All the other people we've killed.. they didn't do anything to anyone... Do we look like we care?" Android 18 asked.

Trunks, unable to think of a retort, began to charge his aura. He knew he was going to become a Super Saiyan this time, he was certain. The wind began to turn as his hair began to stand up. The pavement below his feat began to crack. He gripped his fists in one final push of power, until-

_It was all a dream._

Trunks awoke to see his mother hovering over his bed, "I have breakfast ready, son. Gohan says to meet him outside when you're done; he wants to talk to you."

Trunks didn't say a single word. He just hugged his mother, thankful that she was still alive.

After eating his food, he eagerly rushed outside to meet Gohan.

"Mom said you wanted to talk to me.."

"Right. Trunks, I don't think it's a secret that the androids aren't letting up... Our efforts aren't doing anything at all to them.."

"No! Don't say that, Gohan! I look up to y-"

Gohan interrupted Trunks, "Let me finish... I think it's pointless for you to train anymore. There's just too much of a gap between you and the androids.. Even if you trained until you were as old as I am, there'd be no way you could defeat either of them. Even I can't do it, and I spent my childhood fighting people like Frieza and.. your dad."

Trunks, once again, was without words. He didn't know how to react to what Gohan had just told him. He'd never questioned what Gohan told him. Gohan was his mentor and always had an answer for everything, it's just that this time the answer wasn't what Trunks wanted to hear. He literally had dreamed of going Super Saiyan, and now Gohan was urging him to quit chasing that dream. He was on the cusp of something he had strived for his entire life, only to have the idea crushed.

Gohan continued, "I'm going to continue my training, though... If I work harder than I ever have, I could maybe take them on. I just don't want you to get hurt, Trunks, you have to understand. I know that you've always been taught to never give up; so have I, but sometimes that isn't how it works during desparate times like this."

"But Gohan... You were in danger when you were training with Piccolo! Why can't you take a risk with me like he did with you! You turned out great!"

"I wasn't the last of my kind when I was training with Piccolo... I was much less of an asset. When Piccolo was training me, I was just a whiny, spoiled brat. There were several other Saiyans out there, still alive... You and I are the only two alive right now, Trunks. If something happens to me out there fighting, I want you to stay alive at all costs."

"I guess I understand..." Trunks muttered. He gave Gohan one last look, and walked back inside.

Gohan knew that Trunks had more things to say to him, but didn't out of respect. He decided he would bring it up later, after letting all these thoughts simmer in Trunks' head for a while.

Trunks couldn't sleep that night. All he wanted was to sleep, so that he might have a dream similar to last night's dream.. Where he was the hero, where he achieved the Super Saiyan transformation. He looked at Gohan across the room.

Trunks hopped out of his bed and ran into the streets. He was going to prove Gohan wrong. He said that he couldn't fight against the androids. Trunks knew he could. He flew into the air and began to scan the location for the androids.

"Where could they be?!" Trunks shouted to himself.

"Isn't it past your bedtime?" Android 17 sarcastically asked, as he vanished immediately in front of Trunks, almost identically to how he did in Trunks' dream.

"I'm going to shut you off, android!" Trunks yelled as he sent out a dynamic combo of hits against Android 17, each one bouncing off of him, leaving him unscathed.

"You're interrupting my beauty sleep, bug!" Android 18 had just vanished behind him. She grabbed Trunks by his head and lifted several inches, now bringing them at eye level, "You think you're tough because you stay out late? Well let me tell you something. You're not. You're weak, just like your pathetic father!"

"Don't you badmouth my dad!" Trunks shrieked, ignoring the pain his cranium was feeling. His hair began to rise slightly.

"Girls don't like guys with short tempers. We better shut you up before you end up being a problem." Android 18 said. She swung her arm back, and then thrust it forward into Trunks' stomach, creating a hole in his abdomen, which bled profusely. She threw him from the skies in which their confrontation took place and onto the ground as harshly as she could. The pavement where he landed gained a gigantic crater.

Gohan heard the chaos outside. He ran into Bulma's room.

"Bulma, I can't find Trunks! I think something may have happened! Come outside!"

They immediately saw the crater. The androids watched them above, not interested in creating their demise just yet.

"No! My baby! Trunks! Trunks!" Bulma cried after seeing her only son wounded on the ground. She and Gohan kneeled down to see him.

"M-mom... Give me a hug" Trunks simply stated.

Bulma hugged Trunks tightly. Every single line of her family was now dead. The only person in the world she had to protect her was Gohan. The androids left the scene undetected by Gohan and Bulma. It would be there that Trunks would die.

Over the course of the next few months, Gohan remaind pacifistic. He did indoor training as to not keep himself out of shape. Bulma, meanwhile, was working on her time machine design that she had been working on for some time before Trunks' death. Gohan had talked to her about it for a while, as his realism slowly sank in, realizing that fighting the androids was a futile effort. Not wanting to crush his dreams and knowing that he had potential, Gohan was planning on sending Trunks to the past. He wanted Trunks to be able to meet Vegeta.. Gohan gave up the opportunity to see his mother and father again so that Trunks could see his father once. He was going to save the surprise for closer to the time that the time machine was constructed. Gohan secretly didn't want to get Trunks' hopes built up, only for the time machine to not work properly, but he would never tell Bulma that.

Nonetheless, the day soon came. Gohan was the only hope for the past. It was his goal to venture into the past, cure Goku's heart virus, and help the Z Fighters prepare for the android attack.

_**END OF CHAPTER 1**_


	2. Chapter 2: The Royal Family Arrives

_**Dragon Ball Z: History of Gohan - Chapter 2**_

It had been exactly sixty-seven days since the death of Trunks Briefs. Gohan had assembled the items he needed for his trip to the past - Goku's heart medicine, being the main item of importance. He remembered having to watch his father struggle in bed some years ago. He wasn't about to witness that again.

"Gohan, I want you to be careful out there... You're all we've got..." A single tear rolled down Bulma's face in this time of desperation.

Gohan wiped the tear off of her face, "Don't worry, Bulma. I've seen the worst things a person can see, and I don't want it to happen again.. I'll do everything I can to save this timeline."

"Okay..." her mood lightened up, "Just be sure to tell my past self to watch what she eats more! I don't want her to end up like me!"

"Oh, Bulma.. I'm gonna miss that attitude of yours," Gohan smirked as he opened the door to the time machine.

"Please come back, Gohan..."

The time machine door closed.

Mecha Frieza and King Cold had arrived on Earth sometime earlier this present day. They stood in front of their spaceship with their small army of grunts and soldiers, eyeing down the various Z Fighters.

"Little boy!" Frieza pointed to Gohan, still just a child, "I thought you would huddle back to your mommy after what you saw on Namek! Clearly, the life of fighting isn't the life for you... nor is it the life of your father..."

"You take that back, creep! My father was an amazing fighter! He was able to defeat you, after all!" Gohan rebuttled angrily.

"Ah, but alas your father's luck is the only thing that outweighs his dimwitted behavior... Once a monkey, always a monkey.. A shiny new coat of fur doesn't change a thing," Frieza immediately replied, sophisticated in a certain manner, but condescending to an unimaginable degree at the same time.

"And you'll always be a cruel, cowardly monster! Your new makeshift body won't change that! If you really thought you were high and mighty, then you wouldn't have had to bring your father and his goons with you here. You would have faced us by yourself, like how my father would have! And since he's not here, I'll do this on his behalf! Masenko, ha!" Gohan quickly charged a Masenko beam, hoping to make it fast enough for Frieza to not be able to appropriately react.

Frieza smacked the beam with his tail, not undoing the crosses in his arms. The entire beam was reflected right back to he and the others. Gohan quickly dashed to the left to dodge it, grabbing Bulma on his way. As he stood back up, he realized he didn't quite have all the power he had talked himself up to have. Gohan was trying very hard to hide his fear, despite the fact that he was drowning in his own self-pity and worries.

The deadly combination of Frieza and King Cold reminded him of Vegeta and Nappa some time ago, their gruntish soldiers being the equivalent to their Saibamen.. He recalled being on Namek, not being protected by his father and having to face the wrath and power of the Ginyu Force.. Though when things got tough, his father always came through and saved him. Having been recently told that his father was alive and on his way back to Earth, he couldn't help but wonder how much longer he'd have to wait for Goku to rush in and save them all like he was known to do.

"I will give your father one thing... For a monkey, he was definitely a modest one.. He never seemed to boast about his power, unlike you.. You, on the other hand, are a cocky little bugger who doesn't know his own strength! You should think before you talk up a big game, child," Frieza stated, pointing his metallic finger at Gohan, "And no one likes an arrogant person, do they? Hehehe... Die!" Frieza shot a death beam straight at Gohan.

Gohan, not being able to react quick enough due to his shock, stared as the beam darted toward him almost instantly. Gohan covered his face, bracing for the impact of the blast. He could feel the heat coming off of the pure energy that Frieza had so easily shot from his index finger without second thought.

A large hand grabbed the death beam and deflected it toward the skies.

_Father?_ Gohan thought. He slowly removed his arms from his face to see who, or what had just saved his life.

The man was a tall, built fighter with black hair. He was wearing an orange gi similar to how he knew Goku to wear, except with a Capsule Corporation logo on the back instead of a typical kanji symbol that usually belonged to a martial artist's master. He could not yet see the figher's face.

"You call that fast?" the fighter asked.

In what seemed to be a nanosecond, the fighter was immediately in front of Frieza with his palm on his stomach. A small blue ball of ki began to charge in the fighter's right hand. As the ball began to expand, everyone around him could feel his power skyrocketing. Frieza felt overwhelmed by the power, and in pure shock did not move. As a precaution, the fighter had firmly placed his left hand on the fighter's right shoulder, gripping him into place.

"Ka.. me..." The figher began.

"No! Not this!" Frieza exclaimed in pure terror. He began to further examine the fighter who was charging the blast that was about to utterly destroy him. He identified the blue aura the blast was producing as a Kamehameha, and recalled Goku using it back on Namek. He looked into the figher's eyes, knowing that he had met this person before, "This can't be!"

"Ha... me..." Gohan continued, his voice rising in volume.

"Father! Do something! This youth is not a joke!" Frieza shouted with a very noticeable tone of desparation and fear in his voice. Once more, Frieza had been humbled.

King Cold rushed toward the two as the figher prepared to launch the finishing blast. The fighter knew that he had to put all he had into this blast if he wished to defeat the newly-rebuilt galactic tyrant with one move, and didn't want to have to prematurely launch it.

As he rushed toward the scene, he began to charge up a mighty punch, one that could quickly be summoned, but powerful enough to surely interrupt the fighter's ki charging. His eyes fixed on his struggling son, he left himself open for a surprise halt.

"No fair! If my dad can't interfere, then neither can you, King Cold, you big bully!" Gohan screamed as he struggled to keep King Cold's fist from going any further. His feet created mass friction on the ground below him.

"Agh! Learn your place, fool!" King Cold shouted, masking the fact that he knew he was legitimately in trouble at this point.

"My place is here on Earth, defending my friends!" Gohan argued, "Raaaah!" Gohan twisted King Cold's wrist and pushed him back a good distance and onto the ground.

Gohan glanced back at the fighter. His ball of ki was ever-growing. He had gotten a headache some moments ago from feeling his massive power, a power he hadn't witnessed in a long time. He dashed back to King Cold, knowing that the fighter was waiting for Gohan to leave the area before releasing the blast.

"HAAAA!" The Kamehameha blast that the fighter had been charging up was finally released onto Frieza, obliderating him almost instantly.

"Stand back," the young Gohan said firmly as he walked toward King Cold. Still not sure exactly who he was, he trusted the tall man after sensing his enormous power.

The fighter had been watching Gohan closely the entire time. He was amazed at his power for such a young boy, astonished by his initiative he took when his father wasn't around to save the day, and in awe at his innocence and focus on saving innocent people, all bottled up in such a small body.

Additionally, the other Z Fighters had been watching the fight from a safer distance. As badly as Vegeta wanted to be the one to defeat Frieza this time around, he knew that this was no joke. He, Piccolo, Yamcha, Tien, Krillin, and the others simply watched in amazement at this brutal fight that was unfolding before their very eyes. All that they had done was defeat the additional goons that came along with the father-son duo on their ship earlier on, as to keep the fight simple.

"You know what it's like to have a son, King... How does it feel to have just witnessed your son be destroyed in the blink of an eye? How does it feel to know that I, just a small child, could do the very same to you if I was so inclined? Do you feel humbled? Do you feel scared?" Gohan heroically, but sadistically spoke to King Cold.

"Ha! You think you could defeat the mighty King Cold!? Don't even get me started, brat! I've fought Tuffles stronger than you!" King Cold said in an arrogant tone.

King Cold greatly resembled Frieza in his second form at this point. Tall, muscular, and horned. Gohan recalled flashbacks from Namek. The beatings Frieza tossed him in this terrifying form. Rage overflowed his spirit, however he was somewhat at peace knowing that Frieza was gone once and for all.

Gohan turned around to face the fighter, "I appreciate you saving me, but a part of me wishes that I could be the one to defeat Frieza.. But thank you."

The fighter remained silent for the moment. He didn't quite want to tell the young Gohan the truth just yet, "I understand... You're a great fighter for your age. Never stop your training... Gohan."

"Wha!? How do you know my name?" Gohan's tone quickly changed from serious to confused. King Cold watched their discussion, allowing it to continue as he collected himself.

"You don't need to know that right now. You may have missed your chance on Frieza today, but I'll let you take King Cold. He's definitely someone you could deal with... He isn't half as strong as your father," the fighter told Gohan, hoping to boost his confidence even more.

_He knows my dad, too... This guy is really something.._ Gohan thought to himself, "Thanks, but I'm done with him. He isn't worth my time. You can take him," Gohan smugly said as he walked away from King Cold.

"What!? Surely you can't be serious, child! Though I suppose that's the excuse I would use if I was too afraid to fight someone as well..." King Cold countered. Gohan stopped in his place. King Cold continued, "For such a small boy you really do have a big head. First you talked up a storm, saying how you could defeat my son, only to have yourself saved by your little bodyguard.. Were it not for him, you would be as dead as your pathetic father."

"My father is still alive, for your information! And he may not be perfect, but he's a much better father than you!" Gohan argued.

"Do I look like I'm trying to win Father of the Year to you, little boy? I'm just here to defend my dying empire... I knew I shouldn't have sent Frieza to destroy the Saiyans... If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself, they always say... Frieza kept babbling to me about how your father was a Super Saiyan, but I personally never believed him.. That whole thing is just a myth! I won't believe it until I see it."

"Oh, really?" the fighter sarcastically asked, "I guess I'll make a believer out of you, then..."

The fighter squatted slightly as he clenched his fists and began to summon all the power he had inside of him, "Haaaaaaaaa!"

The fighter had became a Super Saiyan right in front of everyone's eyes.

Gohan stood in amazement. The only Super Saiyan he had ever seen was his father. This man proved to be one thing after another, seemingly.

Piccolo, Krillin, and the others likewise were in a state of awe. This was something they had not ever seen. This amazing power that they had heard of since they had gotten back to Earth was finally physically in front of them. They were in almost as much shock as King Cold, who was breathless at the sight of a mighty hero of legend.

Vegeta fell to his knees. How could this happen? Two Super Saiyans? He was the prince, and two random Saiyans had reached his saught after form before him. His shame was slowly consuming him.

"Do you believe yet, Cold? Or do you need some more convincing that this a truly astounding form?"

_**END OF CHAPTER 2**_


	3. Chapter 3: A Mighty Super Saiyan

_**Dragon Ball Z: History of Gohan - Chapter 3**_

"Gah! There's no way! I... I must be seeing things.." the flabbergasted King Cold exclaimed, not believing that a Super Saiyan stood before him.

"The only thing you're seeing is a powerful, vengeful Super Saiyan.." the fighter stated.

King Cold toughened up and collected himself, "Hmph! No matter, then! I'll deal with you the same way I would have before your little style chan-" King Cold was interrupted by the fighter's fist being slammed into his abdomen with amazing force, done in the blink of an eye.

King Cold fell face-first onto the ground after the fighter retracted his arm, "Geh... geh... No way... How... How could someone.. have this much power?"

"That's not even all I'm capable of. You saw how I dealt with your son before I transformed. You don't wanna know how badly I can destroy you while in this form," the fighter added.

"Please... I beg of you... Spare me, and we can... We can rule the galaxy together! Your strength and my name.. We'd be unstoppable," King Cold pleaded, having to lift his face out of the dirt to speak.

The fighter eyed King Cold for a moment, watching him beg for his life. The fighter placed his palm out in front of him, pointing it toward the defeated tyrant. A ball of energy began to charge once more in his hand.

"No! Please! Reconsider!"

"Hhhaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" the fighter yelled as he quickly finished charging the ki. He swung his arm back with all of his might and launched the blast with amazing velocity. As it left his hand, he felt his power reserves draining. The heat from the energy had almost burnt his skin. As the fighter swung his arm, King Cold covered his face. He heard a blast and saw a light flash from what seemed to be an explosion, however he still seemed to be alive. He felt no pain, saw no light. He was still there. King Cold lifted his head to see that the fighter had shot his projectile blast to his spaceship instead of Cold himself, "What... What are you doing? If you're going to kill me, do it now! You could have used my spaceship for your own gains... Why did you destroy it?"

"We don't need your technology.. but we could use your strength. There's a certain intent for why I'm here, and we'll need all the helping hands we can get for it.." Gohan answered as he turned around and walked away from King Cold. He descended from his Super Saiyan form back to his base form.

King Cold regained his strengths as he began to stand back up. He was on one knee, "I am forever in your debt, Saiyan. Maybe we were wrong about your kind," King Cold admitted. He finished standing up, now fully on both feet.

The fighter, Gohan, King Cold, the Z Fighters, and their friends were all together peacefully for a moment.

"Look, everyone... What just happened could have been a lot worse. Gohan and I only got a little roughed up; it's fine. As you guys know by now, Goku is alive and on his way here," the figher began.

"What is up with you?! First off, you're a Super Saiya-" Bulma began, but Vegeta interrupted, "No he's not! This kid is just using some tricks.. The Saiyan race was destroyed many years ago... Kakarot, his boy, and I are the only remaining Saiyans in existence, end of story!" Vegeta crossed his arms. Bulma continued, "Well... you're very powerful, and we've never seen or heard of you before.. And you know Gohan's name.. You also know who Goku is, the fact that he's alive, and the fact that we know he's alive! How is this possible?"

"It's irrelevant at this point.. You'll all find out the details sooner or later, but don't worry for now," the fighter began, "but I also know that Goku will be landing here on Earth in approximately three hours."

"There's no way he knows this for sure! This kid's just some crazy weirdo who's trying to mess with us!" Yamcha interjected.

"You can believe what you want to about me. You can even talk behind my back for the time being, but I guarantee you all that Goku will be here in three hours. Let's just try to get along for these three hours... Yamcha."

"Bwah! He knows my name, too!"

"I could sit here and name each of you, and even a little something about you.. It might help pass the time," the fighter scanned the area to pick who he would identify, "You, in the back.. You're Vegeta. You came here with a fellow Saiyan named Nappa some time ago.. You later on traveled to Namek where Frieza killed you. You are the Saiyan prince..."

Vegeta stood, flabbergasted at this knowledge the mysterious man had just presented.

He continued, "The Namekian.. Your name is Piccolo, son of the great Demon King Piccolo. You helped Goku defeat Raditz a while back, using your Special Beam Cannon. Then, you trained little Gohan over there while you all were waiting for the Saiyans to arrive... You did a great job."

He continued to scan through, to see if there was any information he could display that would be of any shock to the people.

"You, with the blue hair.. Your name is Bulma, and you need to lay off of the snacks."

_Heh, I kinda feel bad for that last one.. She seemed really embarrassed... But in my defense, she did tell me to tell her past self that._ he thought.

The three hours had passed.

"It's been three hours.. Where is your Kakarot at?" Vegeta asked impatiently.

"I... I honestly don't know why he isn't here yet..." the fighter quietly said. _He was the one who was meant to defeat Frieza, but he was taking too long... Could me defeating him have somehow messed up the timeline? What about sparing King Cold, did that mess something up?_ he thought.

"It's because you're a clown, just like Kakarot! You're not a real Saiyan! Why are you here, fool?" Vegeta asked, growing ever-angrier.

"I don't know why he isn't here, Vegeta! But I'm here for a good intent, I promise! You just have to believe m..." the fighter stopped himself.

Suddenly the Z Fighters could all sense an amazing power coming nearer. The fighter looked up to the skies. A space pod was approaching its landing. All of them, even Vegeta, knew it was Goku.

_**END OF CHAPTER 3**_


	4. Chapter 4: The Truth is Out

_**Dragon Ball Z: History of Gohan - Chapter 4**_

Goku's space pod landed in the ground, creating a gigantic crater in the earth it smashed into. The entire crowd gathered nearby to see Goku emerge. Their friend and savior who they had not seen in quite some time was finally back. Goku flew closer to his friends, everyone having an amazing time getting to see him once again, wanting to hear all the stories he had to share and to be with him once more, just like old times.

Goku looked at everyone. Something about Goku didn't seem normal. He seemed particularly on-edge. "I feel something bad around here..." he announced, as opposed to continuing with the cheery welcomes. He stared down the fighter, "It's not you... No, there's no way you're the bad energy.. I'll have a word with you in a minute," Goku said to the fighter.

"Goku, the bad energy is... It's King Cold, Frieza's father. He and Frieza came to Earth several hours ago.. I was able to defeat Frieza, and could have dealt with Cold, but I spared his life... It wouldn't hurt to have him alive.. but I'll explain that to you later." the fighter explained, somewhat ashamed and preparing himself for whatever ridicule Goku may throw at him for his decision. The fighter had some grim news to tell Goku very soon. He had to inform him that all that he knows and loves, all that he just got done fighting for on Namek, was going to be destroyed by the androids in a matter of years if he didn't act fast.

"Hmm... That's a questionable move, but I trust that you had a good reason. Where is he, anyway?"

King Cold, overhearing the conversation, descended from the skies he had been hovering over, trying to remain a little unseen. He knew that Gohan and the others could sense his energy and would be able to tell if he tried to do anything mischevious, and therefore did not do so.

"I told him to try to stay under your radar until I explained the situation to him.. I didn't want you to attack him immediately. I knew you'd pick up on him, but I guess I thought you'd wait long enough for me to explain before getting too concerned," Gohan explained, "but I should have known that you wouldn't risk us getting hurt."

Knowing he should probably explain himself, King Cold began to speak, "I know you'll never see eye-to-eye with me, however I am grateful for my life being spared, and I'm willing to help out in this cause that this young man has promised is worthy of my time. I don't see a point in living if there's not going to be a galaxy left to conquer afterward, after all."

"I don't think you'll try anything.. You're not stupid. You know I could take you out with my hands and feet tied behind my back," Goku said. He looked at the fighter, "Now, you follow me over here.. Tell me more about this cause."

Goku and the fighter flew off into the distance, still seen by the Z Fighters, however they had the privacy that the fighter was hoping for.

"This is really weird having to explain this to you... And you're not going to believe me at first, bu-"

"You're my son and I trust you. I'll believe anything you have to tell me," Goku said, putting his hand on the fighter's shoulder.

The fighter stood, speechless. His identity as Gohan from the future was not as much of a secret as he was hoping for it to be.

Future Gohan, the now-unmasked fighter, began, "F-father... How did you know?" he began to look up, thinking about the entire situation, and how anticlimactic the revealing of his story had became, "I don't look very much like how I did the last time you saw my present counterpart on Namek... I'm bigger, stronger, I'm a new person!"

"You're my son, and I can tell that without a doubt by looking you in the eyes. I may not have been the best father in the world, always running off to save the world and leaving you with your mother sometimes, but I could tell it was you the moment I stepped out of my space pod," Goku told Future Gohan, "but there is one thing I'm not too square on right now... Why.. or _how_ are there two Gohans? I know I'm not known for my intelligence or anything, but this isn't making a great deal of sense to me..."

"This is the part that's going to be harder to explain... I am Gohan. I am your son.. It's that simple.. What isn't simple is the fact that I am Gohan.. twenty years in the future."

"Whaaat?! How is that possible? You're from the future?!"

"Yes.. I come from a time of great distress, father. As a child, only three years older than the Gohan you know," Future Gohan pointed to Gohan, who was standing with the others, talking to Piccolo, "I witnessed your horrible death.."

"I died!? How?"

"What killed you wasn't a mighty monster, or even a natural disaster.. You were killed by a heart virus, one that has an almost nonexistent survival rate. Even someone as healthy as you couldn't take it..." a tear rolled down Future Gohan's face, "I had just gotten home during your last moments... I had to take care of mother. I was so scared, being in charge of saving the world."

"That's awful... But you weren't the only one left to defend the Earth.. Vegeta and the others didn't get the virus too, did they?"

"No, they didn't get the virus.. They were killed much more horrifically.. In three years, two evil, destructive androids from the Red Ribbon army will arrive, and they will destroy **everything** in their path, I promise you... They killed everyone - Krillin, Yamcha, Chiaotzu, Piccolo, Tien, and even Vegeta."

"How come they didn't kill you?"

"I was able to escape the battle they died in just barely.. I lived with Bulma and her son for quite some time..."

"Bulma has a kid?! Hahaha, that's great! But I guess he had to grow up without his daddy, what with Yamcha dying, right?"

"Actually... Yamcha wasn't the father.."

"Hu? Does Krillin make a move on her?"

"No, not him.."

Goku jumped back and his voice became high, "Wait! I'm not the father, am I?!"

Gohan had missed his father's sense of humor, "Hahaha, no dad, you're not. Don't worry. The child is half-Saiyan.. His father is Vegeta."

"No way! Vegeta and Bulma!"

"But you cannot tell them, no matter what. They'll hook up sooner or later on their own, and then their child, whom they will name Trunks, will be born. If you tell them about it now, they may intentionally do something to avoid that happening, and I have the feeling that an extra Saiyan being around might help out later on, in a future that even I haven't seen."

"Wait... If there was another half-Saiyan child, why didn't you take him with you here to help out? He could probably be of at least some use. I'm sure Vegeta made him start training as soon as he could sit up straight."

"He was a good fighter.. I trained him until a certain point when Bulma and I started working on the time machine behind his back. It was right as we began to realize that Trunks and I wouldn't be enough to defeat the androids on our own. We were both going to travel back here, originally.. I told him to quit his training since we needed him alive and that he simply wasn't strong enough to take them on... He instead snuck out one night to prove me wrong, and ended up dying by the cruel metal hands on the androids... I'll never forgive myself."

"Don't beat yourself up about it.. So you're coming here to stop the androids and change the future?"

"In a sense, yes... However, I live in an entirely different universe to this one. We're in separate timelines, if that makes any sense."

"It doesn't make a lick of sense, but continue, Gohan!"

"Heh.. You haven't changed a bit.. Anyway, if we defeat the androids in this universe, this universe will be saved, however when I return back to my future universe, they'll still be there. I'm here to save you all, in hopes that you can have a better future than I can."

"This is a lot to wrap my head around. So.. I'm going to die soon from a little cold?"

"No. That's one of the biggest reasons that I'm here for," Future Gohan reached into his pocket, "to give you this medicine. Some years after your death, a cure was luckily invented. Here you go. Just take that whenever you start to notice yourself getting sick."

"Thanks, son! So when are you going to tell the others?"

"Well, it wouldn't hurt to start training and preparing soon.. A big reason of why the people of my time weren't able to make it is because the attacks were all of the sudden. You have three years to get ready for a hell that you won't be able to escape easily."

"Three years is plenty of time to train and beat up some silly robots! We've got this!" Goku cheerily said, as he began doing some short stretch exercises.

"I don't doubt that it'll be easier with you still around, dad, but they're no joke... But it's time that I head back to my time for a bit to let Bulma know that I made it alright.. I will be back here in roughly three years, ready to fight the androids head-on with all of you."

"Thank you, son... I'll see you soon."

As Future Gohan approached his time machine, he was confronted by Bulma.

"Hey! Are you leaving?" she asked, somewhat frantic.

"Uh.. Yeah, I was about to head out.. Why do you ask?"

"As soon as you got here earlier, I couldn't help but notice the Capsule Corporation logo on your gi. My father is th-"

"Your father is CEO, I know."

"Yeah, I guess I forgot that you already know just about everything... But what's up with that? Why are you boasting a logo from us?

"Well... Since Goku's going to tell you everything soon, I guess I could explain..." Future Gohan began, until he stopped himself. _What am I doing? I can't tell her everything until Trunks is born. I can't take any chances on messing up the future over here._ he thought, and continued, "Actually, I can't.. I really need to be heading back before long,". He now felt a little embarrassed and rushed to get back to his timeline.

"You still haven't explained yourself. You're a Super Saiyan that knows everything about everyone. You're so weird!"

He couldn't help but see much of Future Bulma from his timeline within her present counterpart. As insane as she could act sometimes, she did seem like a good person and a wonderful mother. She was concerned, caring, and loved to talk.

"Goku will explain everything to you sometime tonight, I'm sure. He's got a lot of news to give to you all. I'm terribly sorry that I can't explain everything to you. I know this has got to be weird for you, but I promise everything is going to get better. Please be safe, Bulma. I'll be back."

Future Gohan opened the hatch to his time machine. He glanced to his right, only to see Present Gohan staring at him. His eyes were wide and his mouth was slightly opened.

"Where are you going, mister?" he boyishly asked Future Gohan.

"I have to go back home for a little while, but you be sure to train extra hard and do everything your father tells you to while I'm gone, understood?"

"Yes, sir.. But if you don't mind me asking, who are you, and how did you get to be so powerful?"

"I used to be just like you, Gohan," Future Gohan couldn't help but realize the literal irony in what he just said, "but then everything in my life changed. I don't want you to have to go through what I went through in order to become stronger. You don't have to. You're a tough kid, and you really showed what you've got today," Future Gohan looked deep into his innocent present counterpart's eyes, "I thought I knew everything about you before today, but I didn't know you were capable of that kinda stuff at this age... I'm proud of you."

Present Gohan smiled a little and gave a salute to Future Gohan. He quickly turned around and scampered off to go speak with his father, whom he still had not gotten a great chance to see since his valiant return.

Future Gohan finished climbing into his time machine and began his fast trip back to his timeline, knowing he had done all he could at this point.

_**END OF CHAPTER 4**_


	5. Chapter 5: Arrival and Mystery

_**Dragon Ball Z: History of Gohan - Chapter 5**_

Three years of brutal, rigorous training had passed and the Z Fighters were finally ready to face the android threat head-on. Goku had long-since explained everything that Future Gohan had laid out for him during his quick trip to the past. Everyone was filled in on the details of the situation and knew that this day would not be a joke.

They had all met on Amenbo Island, where they were informed the androids should arrive at. After each of them ran through the various cities, such as Amaro City and Sasebo, most of Earth's Special Forces had met up with each other. Goku, Piccolo, Present Gohan, King Cold, Krillin, Tien, Yamcha, and even Bulma had arrived. Yajirobe and Korin later on arrived, bringing senzu beans for the crew, however hoping they would not be needed.

"Has anybody seen Vegeta?" Piccolo grimly asked the group.

Goku had done very well to keep his mouth shut for an entire three years regarding Trunks, but he looked over at Bulma to hear her answer.

"Why are you looking at me, Goku? Why would I know where he's at?" she asked, confused.

Piccolo gasped slightly. He had remembered overhearing Future Gohan explaining Trunks to Goku three years ago due to his sensitive Namekian hearing. He was now as confused as Goku. _Why would she act as if she shouldn't know where he's at? Is she embarrassed? Are they not on speaking terms right now?_

"Oh... Uh.. No reason," Goku didn't understand exactly what was going on.

"Well, we're not going to get anything accomplished by sitting here waiting for him. I say we just move out and try to find the androids ourselves," Krillin suggested.

"There's just one thing.. I don't sense any of their ki around here. Before we go crazy searching for them, are you all sure that we're at the right place?" Tien stated, concerned about them wasting valuable time.

"Mr. Tien, I don't think the androids actually have ki. It'll be impossible for us to sense them." Gohan had gathered.

"Ah.. Very good, Gohan! I didn't think about it like that. It may be a little while until you're as strong as your dad, but I think you've already gotten him beaten in smarts," Tien complimented Gohan. The group shared a collective laughter, knowing deep down that there would be few smiles and happy moments as soon as they found the androids.

"So, Yajirobe, are you planning on staying and helping us out? You could take Vegeta's spot," Goku asked, having not been in cooperative combat with Yajirobe for a long time.

"Heck no! I'm high-tailing it out of here before those robots find me! Pfft, I didn't even wanna come here to give you guys these senzu beans, but Korin made me." he replied, very firmly.

"Aww, that's a shame. Well, in that case, you guys should probably be heading out soon, since we really need to get a good start on finding them," Goku said.

"Hah! You don't gotta tell my twice! Good luck out there.. Try not to die again." Yajirobe remarked as he climbed into his hovercraft and began his ascent. The Z Fighters watched him for a moment, only to see his hovercraft be mysteriously shot down. Gohan, Krillin, and Yamcha quickly dashed into action to save him while Piccolo, Goku, Tien, and King Cold began searching for the cause of the explosion.

Yajirobe luckily remained mostly unharmed.

"Yajirobe, you should help them! This is already bad and they haven't even found the bad guys yet!" Bulma shouted, masking her enormous fear with anger and demands.

"Are you crazy, lady? I can't even fly! What good would I be to them?"

"Ugh! Fine! Let me get my hover car out of this capsule. You and I can watch over them for a while in there," Bulma reached into her bag and popped a hovercraft out.

"Gohan, you fly us back to Capsule Corporation! I'm too shooken up to drive." Bulma ordered.

"But I might be needed here! Can't Yajirobe fly it?" he argued, not wanting to leave his friends.

"Please! This idiot couldn't use autopilot!" she retorted.

"Hey! That's not true... I'm just.. I'm just too injured... and stuff. Yeah," Yajirobe defended himself.

"Fine... I'll take us back. I know my dad and Mr. Piccolo can take down those monsters," Gohan assured himself, as he hopped into the hovercar.

Krillin and Yamcha rushed in the air to catch up with the others, meanwhile.

"I'm not seeing any them... What should we do?" Krillin asked Yamcha.

"We should probably split up. That would greaten our chances of at least one of us finding the androids. It's pretty obvious they're on this island, anyway." Yamcha suggested.

"Right!" Krillin agreed, as the duo went their separate ways.

Yamcha had descended to the ground, where he sprinted across the cities frantically. He eventually came across two humanoids standing next to each other. He thought nothing of them at first, thinking they were just other bystanders. The taller, more aged of the figures grabbed Yamcha by his mouth suddenly. He began to absorb Yamcha's power at a rapid rate, nearly killing him with this single act. Right when Yamcha began to feel his life slipping away, the android punched him in the chest, creating a large hole going all the way through in it. The other Z Fighters could sense Yamcha's life force getting weaker, and hurriedly went to find save him.

"Quick! Krillin, get Yamcha out of here and get him some senzu beans!" Goku ordered. As he looked at the androids, he immediately recognized the older one as Dr. Gero, a Red Ribbon scientist that he had encountered as a child. He concluded that he must have survived the assault on their army base and was seeking revenge.

"Got it!" Krillin submissed, grabbing Yamcha and leaving the area quickly.

"Hmph.. I always imagined the androids to look a lot tougher than this," Piccolo remarked.

"I find it strange that you know we're androids, Piccolo," Gero replied, "and also rather odd that you all knew where to find us at."

"Don't worry about it. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve that will definitely send you for a whirl, Gero," Goku confidently warned.

"I highly doubt that. I've been secretly studying your techniques for years, Goku. I know everything you may have in store for me, and how to defend myself against it," Dr. Gero informed the crew.

"We shouldn't fight here. We need to find an open area where there won't be any innocent people around to get hurt," Goku sternly suggested to the androids, not necessarily making it an option, but rather a demand.

"No people around? Why, that can be done here, silly Goku!" Dr. Gero said, coy.

Goku squinted his eyes at the android, unsure of what he was alluding by that statement. The android's eyes began to glow a bright red, until he shot a steady flow of barrage blasts out from both of them. The blasts came in the hundreds, destroying entire buildings, and nearly the entire island. Quickly, Goku swung his fist straight for the android's face. His hat, baring the Red Ribbon Army logo, fell off of his head and he was pushed back about two steps. This interrupted his barrage, however left the android mostly unscathed.

"What are you so angry about, Goku? You said you didn't want any innocent people left, and I met your demands." he asked sarcastically.

"You know what I meant, Gero. We need to leave this place entirely. I'll give both of you a proper fight if you agree to leave here and meet us at a more barren location."

"I suppose that's fair enough. Lead the way, Goku." Dr. Gero signalled to his minion, Android 19, to follow them. They would not try anything on the way over there, wishing for a legitimate fight against the Z Fighters.

They arrived at a large battlefield. The rocks and dirt had seemed untouched for the most part. It was a shame that this land would soon be ravaged by an awful battle. None of the Z Fighters knew for certain what to expect out of the androids, however they knew this would be a time of their lives to remember, and that this battle would mean the difference of life and death for many people.


	6. Chapter 6: Wires and Chips

_**Dragon Ball Z: History of Gohan - Chapter 6**_

Energy was in the air. The Z Fighters and the androids had arrived on-scene at the battlefield for a heated fight.

_Goku seems already a little out of breath... I don't know why that's so, seeing as he hasn't even begun to fight.. Something's odd..._ Tien observed and thought to himself.

"So.. you said something about knowing all of my moves, huh? Tell me more about that," Goku said.

"The Red Ribbon Army has been watching all of your major fights, Goku. We watched you as a child at the World Tournament, your fight with Demon King Piccolo, and even your fights with other Saiyans a few years ago. Suffice to say, we know all of your moves, and we're confident that we can deal with you," Dr. Gero explained.

"Did you happen to observe anything after those fights with the Saiyans? Any data on what I did on Namek?"

"Unfortunately we were not able to track your progress as you left this planet, however we're not worried in the slightest. Our data we did gather will be fine," Dr. Gero replied confidently.

"You think so? I've got something unexpected that I think'll really spin your heads."

"I highly doubt it," Dr. Gero smugly remarked.

"Take my word for it, Gero. No data you collected could compare to a Super Saiyan," Piccolo assured, a grin on his face.

"A Super Saiyan, you say? Well, I must say that you've peaked a little of my interest, folks. Show me this 'Super Saiyan' thing, why don't you," Gero said, trying to sound more interested than he really was. He did want to see the form, however remained unbudged and unconcerned by the potential threat it could pose.

"You can't say you didn't ask for it..." Goku began as he bent his knees and clenched his fists, "Hhhhaaaaaaaaahhh!"

Goku's hair rose up quickly, and almost instantly turned golden. Small plants were uprooted from the ground. Gravel and rocks flew about in the area. The ground began to crack. He was slowly but surely mastering this form, being able to transform even easier each time he used it. He changed his stance to a more relaxed one; his transformation was complete.

As the dust began to settle, the Z Fighters could see the two androids standing in their same position. The Z Fighters still stood in awe at this form, witnessing this amazing, raw power.

Krillin glanced back at the androids as they became more visible, _They don't look the least bit scared.. or even impressed! Oh gosh... Goku, be careful..._ he thought to himself, not saying in out loud so not to lower the morale of Goku, which currently appeared to be fairly high, before this seemingly-fateful fight.

"The Super Saiyan form is definitely quite a lot more threatening than your Kaioken technique we observed, however this is still nothing to get ourselves worked up about," Gero said. He looked over at Android 19, "You will still be able to deal with him just fine, 19."

Android 19 nodded his head, approving of the information the doctor had just set out for him. He and Goku both readied themselves in a combat stance, ready to charge toward each other with all their brute force. They glided at each other in a heartbeat. Goku vanished behind Android 19 and swung his fists rapidly. He was unable to land any significant hits on the android, as he was guarding them all with ease.

Android 19 jumped back several times until he flew into the air toward a nearby mountain. Goku pursued him. Android 19 charged a purple ball of energy out of his palms. He used it to destroy a large portion of the mountain, causing rocks and other debris to cloud Goku's vision and hinder him in the fight. Android 19 charged a similar, however smaller ball of energy in just his right hand and used it to allow him to charge through the debris much easier than Goku.

As the dust began to fade and the rocks began to fall, Goku continued to persistently chase the bulbous white android back down to the ground. As Goku descended toward the grounded android, he vanished in different directions, only to surprise the android by landing behind him.

They stood back to back, both slightly confused. Goku, collecting himself almost instantly, jabbed the android in the back with his sharp elbow with amazing force, launching him back and into the mountain they were once on, destroying the remains of it completely and covering Android 19 in pieces of it.

Dr. Gero stood flabbergasted. _No way! One hit from his elbow and that was it!_ he thought, not wanting to reveal his concern to the Z Fighters, despite his priceless expression clearly showing his discontent to all of them. The Z Fighters cheered for Goku. Piccolo, however, stood with his arms crossed and a slight frown on his face. He could tell it wasn't over quite yet.

"It's a shame Vegeta isn't here to watch this.. I know he loves a good fight!" Krillin stated.

"I dunno... Vegeta would probably just get angry at how he's not as strong as Goku," Yamcha replied.

"Hahaha! Yeah, that sounds about right!" Krillin chuckled, holding his stomach.

Present Gohan stood silently watching the fight. Usually he would be one of the first people to cheer his father on and to make jokes along with Krillin, however this time he chose to be more reserved than usual.

Android 19 emerged from the debris and quickly continued the fight. He sprinted toward Goku and jumped as he approached him, only to be punched and then kicked by Goku, once more launching him far away. This time Goku kicked him upward, only to quickly fly up to the skies to pursue him, as he realized he should have done when he lodged the android under the mountain's debris earlier.

Their battle continued with neither side gaining a huge upper-hand.

"Look at that! It's insane how fast they're moving! I can barely keep up!" Tien exclaimed.

"Wow! Even the guy with three eyes can't keep up that fast!" Krillin joked.

"As much as a mood-lightener might not hurt, I wouldn't say this is the time for messing around, Krillin," Piccolo sternly said, monotone, "I feel like this fight is a little more serious than it looks" he elaborated.

Goku punched Android 19 in the stomach, knocking him back a few feet. Having a free moment, Goku began to catch his breath. He was panting, already tired. _C'mon! You've fought longer and harder than this before! You can take him! Pull yourself together!_ he encouraged himself in his thoughts.

Android 19 was staring him down, respecting his moment of regaining his strengths. Goku suddenly charged toward him, letting out a loud battle cry. He gave two mighty thrusts of his arm into the android, and then proceeded to go for a multitude of smaller strikes, most of which were guarded well by the android.

Seeing that he wasn't going to miss any major breakthroughs in the fight, Piccolo glanced over at Gohan, noticing he had been awfully quiet, "Gohan... Are you noticing what I'm noticing?"

"I think so..." he replied.

"I believe I also see the problem here," King Cold added. He had been quiet as well, even more so than Gohan, mostly because he could tell the Z Fighters still weren't perfectly settled with the idea of him working with them.

"This fight isn't as much of a landslide as you all think it is.. Goku is rushing himself and his techniques are poor compared to what I know he can do."

"What? He's crushing that robot! He's barely scratched, too! How is that poor?" Tien questioned.

"If Goku was going all-out that android would be nothing but wires and chips in the dust by now." Piccolo said. There was a degree of certainty in his voice. Even though he was unable to measure the android's power level, he was still sure that Goku in his Super Saiyan form would be plenty in order to humble it.

"Goku's Super Saiyan form was enough to defeat my son.. and then that mysterious young man from several years ago humbled him once more using his variant of the Super Saiyan form.. That transformation is by far more than just strong hair gel, gentleman.." King Cold added.

"Well... maybe that android absorbed some of Goku's power!" Yamcha suggested.

"Absorb his power? What do you mean?" Piccolo asked, having not previously known that the androids were capable of something like that.

"Back when we were in the city, that long-haired android put his hand on my mouth and took a whole bunch of my power... It was crazy. That fat one could have done the same to Goku!" he explained.

Before Piccolo would have the chance to ask for more information regarding the androids being able to absorb an opponent's power, Goku did a front-flip in the air in order to gain some momentum. He finished his combo by kicking the android straight down into the ground. Krillin, Tien, and Yamcha let out a collective cheer for Goku, having put on another great hit to the android. The hit, however, was still not enough to destroy Android 19; he stood up after only a few moments and began to stare at the tiresome Goku, who was panting more and more as the minutes passed.

"He got up! Just like that! How is that possible?!" Yamcha shouted, not sure if his eyes were fooling him.

"You imbeciles! Androids don't feel pain like you and I... How fortunate for them.." King Cold said harshly.

Yamcha wanted to argue with King Cold and rebuttal for him calling them all imbeciles, however he knew this wasn't the time or the place, and that they had much bigger concerns.

Goku continued to pant, not sure of what his next move should be. Like King Cold, he had realized early-on that the androids would not be able to be humbled by pain, and he would have to flat-out destroy them in order to win the battle. He put his wrists together and began charging a quick Kamehameha beam. Giving it only a few moments to charge, he quickly released the ki from his hands and shot it directly toward Android 19.

Dr. Gero chuckled happily. Android 19 likewise quickly grew a child-like smirk on his face as he opened his right palm and swung his arm into the air in the direction of the Kamehameha. As the blast hit his hand, he seemed to be enveloped in the blue cloud of energy its impact created. Every ounce of the energy that was concentrated into the blast went straight into the fat android's power systems via a red sensor directly in the center of its palm.

The Z Fighters all stood in amazement. Even after hearing Yamcha's brief story of how they could absorb energy, seeing the android consume an entire Kamehameha blast was truly a sight to behold.

"Goku! Don't fire any more energy at that thing! He can use his palm to absorb energy! At all costs, do **not** let him grab you!" Piccolo shouted. Usually he would allow a fighter independence, and would have let Goku figure that out himself, however this was serious.

Goku's panting was slowly worsening as he grew ever-more tired. He remained floating in the air, "Heh... Eheheheh... Sheesh, he's like... he's.. he's like a sponge, isn't he?" Goku smiled.

"I'm starting to see what you guys were talking about now... Goku doesn't look like he's in the right mental state, even for him," Tien said.

"Perfect! That blast seems to have given 19 a compensational sum of energy - just enough to put him on par with Goku's Super Saiyan form! Yes! Now, 19! Go!" Gero commanded, overcome with happiness.

"Are you guys sure he didn't take any of his energy before the battle? He's been like this the whole time," Krillin asked.

Android 19 and Goku once more had an altercation in which neither side had a gigantic advantage over the other. Goku let out a strike to separate him from the android and continued to catch his breath some more. He slowly but smoothly descended to the ground, clenching his chest.

"This has nothing to do with him taking my dad's energy! Something's wrong with his heart!" Gohan blurted out, pointing at his father, who was struggling to breathe.

"This must be that heart virus that the weird kid from the future was talking about! He was right!" Piccolo realized.

"But Goku took the medicine he gave him, right?" Krillin asked frantically.

Goku fell to the ground, tightening the grip on his chest. Android 19 stared blankly at him, expressionless, as Dr. Gero laughed at the unfathomable misery and pain Goku was going through. Krillin jumped into the scene holding a bag of senzu beans. He tossed one in Goku's direction, "Goku, catch!"

Goku snatched the flying bean. Before consuming it he made sure to thank his friend for jumping in to help him. Goku began to feel a little better as the bean almost-immediately kicked in.

"Ahh... So the data I had gathered on these healing beans was no hyperbole.. They really do heal remarkable injuries in an instant.." Dr. Gero observed.

Android 19 quickly shot two beams out of his eyes in the direction of Goku, giving no warning. Goku was barely able to jump into the air and out of the way of them. Right as he felt he was on the cusp of safety, the android vanished behind him and dealt major punches to him, hurtling him back down to the ground with great velocity.

"The senzu bean... It didn't help him at all!" Yamcha noted, worried about what might be wrong with Goku.

"He can't shake this virus... But how? How could he be in this condition if he took the cure from the future kid?" Piccolo urgently asked. He had noted to everyone earlier that Goku was having a hard time out there, but he had not thought of the heart virus as a possibility until now.

"Dad never took the medicine..." Gohan admitted, a little embarrassed, not wanting to explain his father's faulty move which may have ended up costing him his life.

"What? Why not?" Krillin asked.

Goku stood back up, shaking.

"He... he never felt sick, so he never felt there was a need to take the medicine..." Gohan felt so ashamed for his father as he told the Z Fighters why Goku was feeling this pain. Gohan had been secretly suspecting that it was his heart for the whole fight, however didn't want to admit to himself that his role model had messed up this badly.

Android 19 charged right at Goku, headbutting him with great speed. This threw Goku a good distance back, and onto the ground once more. Goku descended from his Super Saiyan form back to his base form.

"Oh no... Goku was already having trouble as a Super Saiyan... This is bad!" Yamcha shouted. All of the eyes on the Z Fighters were wide open. A single blink could result in missing an important move.

Android 19 quickly fell from his vantage point in the skies and right onto Goku, who was still lying on the ground. Goku could feel his bones being weighed down by the android's great mass. Android 19 opened his palm and reached toward Goku's face, which was completely open for absorption. He clasped Goku and began to feel his energy coursing through his systems.

"We can't just stand here! All of his energy is being stolen!" King Cold yelled, not about to watch Goku lose his life force.

"Took the words right out of my mouth" Piccolo agreed.

The Z Fighters began to fly toward the scene, only to be interrupted by Dr. Gero, "If any of you fools go beyond this point, you will meet a fate far worse than what is going to happen to Goku."

The Z Fighters stared him down for a moment, unsure of their next move.

"So, would any of you filthy worms like to try me?" he asked, condescending all of them.

"As a matter of fact, I would love to," King Cold said.

"Same here!" Piccolo interjected as he got closer to King Cold. The Z Fighters were beginning to respect Cold more and more as this day went on. Perhaps the several years had really allowed him to see a new light.

Piccolo swung his arm toward Dr. Gero, who dodged the strike as if it were a fly, and countered with an eye beam similar to Android 19's. The two shots hit Piccolo in his torso as he let out a loud shriek and fell to the ground. Gohan flew down, hoping to aid his friend.

Immediately after the energy beams left Dr. Gero's eyes, King Cold let out a mighty swing toward his eyes, hoping to disable his ability. Gero remained unscathed.

"They can't charge ki like us! They have to absorb it! Eventually this hunk of metal is going to run out!" King Cold theorized.

He smirked as he charged a small ball of energy in the palm of his hand, which he used to blast King Cold in the face, knocking him down next to Piccolo.

"What King Cold has thought of is true, however I've got a while to go before I run empty, gentleman... I suggest you three use your brave friends as an example!" Dr. Gero intimidated the remaining Z Fighters - Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien.

Android 19 had found plenty of energy in Goku to absorb, and was having a field day in doing so. His field day was brought to an abrupt end, however, when he was kicked in the face unexpectedly. Goku was released from his grasp as Android 19 skidded across the gravel and dirt.

Unlike Piccolo, King Cold was still slightly awake and aware of his surroundings. Although incapacitated to where he could not fight, he was still able to see the surprise attack.

_You're welcome, Vegeta... I distracted Gero so you could make that strike... Please don't fail us._ King Cold thought to himself as he smiled and closed his eyes.


	7. Chapter 7: An Unlikely Savior

_**Dragon Ball Z: History of Gohan - Chapter 7**_

Everyone immediately looked back at Goku, having heard the interruption caused by someone kicking the fat android in the head. The fighter who came at the perfect time and saved Goku from what could have been his very death was none other than Vegeta, his greatest rival. No one could believe what they were seeing.

"Gah! You weaklings can't even deal with a few metal toys? I should have known better.."

They could tell it was definitely their Vegeta. He got straight to the point. No greetings or introductions. After not seeing him for a long time, his first line to them was an insult. They didn't mind, however, since they knew that they would need every bit of his help.

"Someone get Kakarot out of here! He needs his medicine, and I need him alive so that I can defeat him personally later on.. I don't need a pile of scrap metal to do that for me.." Vegeta ordered as he scanned his eyes at the Z Fighters, "How about you, pretty boy?" he pointed at Yamcha.

"F-fine... It's probably best that I leave anyway. I'm as good as dead around here! I'll get Goku back home!" Yamcha agreed, slightly embarrassed. This was not a time for pride and arguing with Vegeta, however. He knew he needed to get Goku to safety. He grabbed the weakened Goku and left the scene in a timely manner.

"I will deal with this one," Android 19 stated to Gero.

"Hmm... I was hoping I would get to have some fun, but I suppose that's alright. You do have a personal bone to pick with him after he left that mark on your face... I call the rest of these wimps, though. Are we clear, 19?"

Android 19 did not acknowledge the last part of what Gero had said. He simply turned around to face Vegeta and readied himself for combat. He held his arm out and opened his palm, smirking at Vegeta.

"Oh, please.. Spare me the bore of learning about your absorption technique again... I've been watching this battle for a while now," Vegeta said confidently.

"Hmph! No matter.. While you may know some of my moves, I know all of yours' Vegeta... I guess you wish not to be bored with a re-explanation of that, either.."

"Really? You know all of my moves, eh? Your wonderful master Dr. Gero missed a bit of information.. That lack of information will be your downfall, android!" Vegeta readied himself as well, "Tell me... Does an android such as yourself experience fear?"

Vegeta clenched his fists and began to grunt as he bent his knees and elbows. The ground once more began to shake as rocks flew into the air. A small crater was created at Vegeta's feet as the ground below him caved in. He had turned into a Super Saiyan. He let out a gigantic yell as he finished charging his power. The crater's size increased tenfold as the skies turned bright and pure energy filled the air. When all was said and done, Vegeta stood proudly as the clouds of dust began to disappear around him.

Android 19, who had been knocked down during his transformation, stood back up as Vegeta began to explain to everyone, "I have finally done it! After all of my rigorous training, I have finally attained the legendary form of a Super Saiyan! After seeing that boy from the future defeat Frieza use the form like it was nothing, I have been training in unimaginable conditions, just so that I could gain what should have been rightfully mine. Then, I saw Kakarot's boy fight alongside him fearlessly... It seemed as though he and I swapped roles - he was the one taking the foe head on and I was the one standing back and watching.. I sickened myself. Unlike Kakarot, I have always strived to be the most powerful Saiyan in existence, and had no other goals whatsoever... and now I have finally done so."

"Enough already! 19, if you're going to deal with Vegeta then do it now!" Dr. Gero ordered impatiently, not as impressed with the Vegeta's transformation as he was with Goku's.

Android 19 charged toward Vegeta, giggling like a child. He punched Vegeta directly in the face, only knocking him back slightly. He let out many other swift strikes onto him, all of which he was able to dodge. It was as if the tables were turned - the Saiyan was the invincible one that would remain unscathed by attacks. Vegeta finally let out a series of mighty kicks and punches, throwing the android across the plains. He walked to the android and stood over him, a grin from ear to ear on his face.

"Awww... Is the toy out of batteries? I was just beginning to have fun!" Vegeta mocked the android. He still was not certain if it could feel embarrassment or even anger.

He waited a moment for a rebuttal from the android, however it remained idle its back for a few moments until it suddenly sat upright and grabbed Vegeta's wrists. Krillin and Tien, standing on the sidelines, gasped. They knew he was going to try to take his energy just like how Goku's was about to be taken earlier. Vegeta raised his legs up and placed them on the android's face. He stretched out the android's arms until they simply broke off.

The android shrieked and attempted to run away. Vegeta looked at the hands of the android.

"I must say, this technology is rather impressive... However you're done, android!" Vegeta darted into the skies and placed his right palm out, similarly to how the android had done when he was preparing to absorb Goku's Kamehameha some time ago. He charged a considerably-well sized blue ball of energy.

"You're running like a woman.. I guess I was right after all... You androids do experience fear to an extreme degree... Hahahaha! Big Bang Attaaaack!" Vegeta propelled the blast from his hand and watched it completely obliderate the android.

"I suppose that since Kakarot isn't around, I'll be the one to defeat you as well, old man.."

"Just because you could defeat 19 doesn't mean you can defeat me!" Dr. Gero argued.

"Well, I guess there's only one way to find out, isn't there?" Vegeta smugly replied.

Dr. Gero knew deep-down that facing Vegeta all by himself was not the best idea. He made a run for it, attempting to flee the scene. Vegeta had fired several small ki blasts in his direction, however he was able to evade all of them. He had actually done more harm than good by inadvertantly creating dust and debris that made it harder to locate Dr. Gero and catch the direction he was heading.

By this time, King Cold and Piccolo had awoken. Having missed the better half of Vegeta's battle, they were a little befuddled and clueless. They were quickly filled in by Krillin and Tien on the fact that they needed to pursue Dr. Gero, which Vegeta had already begun to do.

"How did Vegeta do?" King Cold asked the group.

"He showed that android what for! I hate to say it, but he went even crazier on it than Goku did," Krillin answered eagerly, having just seen a great fight.

"Good..." King Cold was feeling slightly modest. He did not want to make a huge deal out of him taking a great attack from Gero in order to stall him and give Vegeta a moment to attack, however he was still glad that all went well and that his risky move did not cost him his life.

"We better get going if we wanna find this creep, wherever he's headed to," Tien suggested.

"That's assuming Vegeta hasn't already dealt with him. He seemed pretty fumed when he went after him," Krillin added.

"I really want to go with you guys, but I'm worried about my dad. I'm gonna go head over to the Kame House and see how he's doing if that's alright," Gohan said.

"That's fine. Hopefully Vegeta and us should be enough for this guy. Plus, it wouldn't hurt for someone to give them them all an update on the situation," Tien replied.

The fighters all headed after the cowardly android, hoping to catch up with Vegeta while Gohan headed in the opposite direction toward the Kame House, anxious to see if the medicine had kicked in on his father. The battlefield had received its fair share of damage from the fights that had ensued this afternoon, however it was finally free of all of Z Fighters and androids and could rest; that was until one more fighter stepped foot on it all alone, anyway.

Gohan had returned from the future and arrived at the battlefield shortly after the scene had cleared.

_**END OF CHAPTER 7**_


	8. Chapter 8: Search for the Doctor

_**Dragon Ball Z: History of Gohan - Chapter 8**_

Future Gohan began to think to himself about how he should assess this situation. He could feel a decent sum of multiple power levels heading in a certain direction together, _That's got to be some of dad's friends.. maybe he's with them_, he thought. He could sense one person heading in a completely opposite direction, _I'm not positive who that guy is.. I would worry that it's an android, but I don't remember being able to sense their ki back in my timeline... Still, better safe than sorry. I better check it out, whatever it is_.

He jumped into the air and began to follow the unidentified power level that was rushing toward the direction of the Kame House. Within a few moments, he was caught up with his younger, present timeline counterpart.

"Hey! You're that guy from a few years ago! What are you doing here?" Present Gohan asked eagerly. He didn't confess it, but he was a little lonely and scared having to fly all by himself in a dangerous time like this.

"Oh.. I'm relieved it's just you. Where are you heading?"

"I'm gonna go check on my dad. He was fighting one of the androids but then that heart virus started to hit him pretty hard.. Yamcha was supposed to take him back there."

"How did you guys do against the androids?"

"Dad put up a really good fight against the fat one. He would have won if it weren't for the virus, I think. Vegeta came in and finished him off for us, though."

"The fat one? What are you talking about?"

"There was this fat and pale one who was ordered around by this old guy. The others are out looking for the old guy right now, since he ran away."

"Gah! Those aren't the two androids I remember!" Future Gohan became incredibly worried. _What else has changed in this timeline?_

"Oh no! So there are others?"

"I'm not sure... All I know is that the ones from my timeline weren't the same ones you guys saw... Luckily, the ones from my timeline aren't going to come around here... If they do, then we've got a lot to worry about."

The two Gohans continued their trip to the Kame House. Future Gohan tried not to worry himself with this too much before having at least talked to everyone once again and getting the full story, however he couldn't help but wonder what all was different in this timeline.

Within some time they arrived at the Kame House, and were greeted Yamcha, who met them at the door.

"I could feel you all coming," Yamcha said. He looked over at Future Gohan, "So you're back, I see.. Why don't you two come in? We've got some stuff to fill you all in on."

Gohan ran in past Yamcha, "Dad! Are you alright?"

Goku lifted his head up from the pillow he was using to rest his head on, "Heheh.. Yeah, I'm fine, son..." Although he was incredibly tired and needed to sleep, he noticed Future Gohan standing next to everyone, towering above all of them with his height, "Nice to see you again. You came at the perfect time."

"I heard you gave that tubby android a run for his money," Gohan congratulated.

"Yeah.. He was pretty good, but I would've had him if it weren't for the heart virus. I finally got around to taking some of that medicine you gave me, though. It didn't taste as good as I was hoping, but I'm feeling a little better, so that's a plus."

"Hahaha, yeah.. Glad to hear that much. So Yamcha said that there was some news I needed to hear.."

Bulma ran into the room, "Oh! It's you! I knew I wouldn't ever forget that voice!" She gave Future Gohan a large hug.

He didn't know exactly how to react to this, "Uh.. Hey, Bulma.. You seem awfully chipper today, considering all that's happened."

"I'm just really happy to see you. I haven't forgotten you since that day that you came and fought Frieza and stuff... What you told me before you left really stood out in my head."

"I'm glad I could comfort you a bit. Say, where's little Trunks?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

"Trunks? Who's that?" she asked, tilting her head.

Goku and Future Gohan turned to look at Bulma, as this alarmed them both simultaneously.

_Uh-oh... I remember Gohan telling me about Bulma having a kid with Vegeta some day named Trunks... That explains why she didn't know where Vegeta was earlier today in the city... And come to think of it, I've never seen the kid.. Does this mean he wasn't born?!_ Goku thought to himself, not wanting to say anything out loud and interfere with whatever Future Gohan needed to happen.

"Eh... Can Goku and I have a moment alone? He and I need to.. talk about the next move for the androids," Future Gohan improvised for a reason to talk to Goku about this new revelation.

"I think I should be around for this too, but whatever... Don't take too long," Yamcha said as he and the others began to walk outside. Present Gohan could tell something was up, but didn't want to argue with either of them, knowing they had more authority than he did on this situation, and knowing that neither of them would make a bad call.

"You!" Future Gohan went from collective to upset in an instant. He was angrily pointing at his father, "You must have told someone about Bulma and Vegeta! That's why Trunks hasn't been born yet!"

"I promise I kept my mind shut, Gohan... I've had much bigger concerns these past years than gossip," Goku said. He would have been more powerful in his wording if it didn't hurt him to be awake.

"Well then what else would have kept Vegeta and Bulma from hooking up?"

"I dunno... Bulma seemed pretty into you a minute ago..."

"You don't think... No..." Gohan looked down.

"What?"

_Did Bulma fall in love with me that day that I came a few years ago? Has she seriously been waiting all this time for my return? She turned down the opportunity to hook up with Vegeta for the chance that I might come back? No way... Did I inadvertantly cause Trunks to not be born? Ugh! I need to focus on facts for now! _"Nothing... According to the young me's description of the androids you fought today, the ones from my timeline are completely different from the ones here!"

"What? You mean that the ones that destroyed your time haven't even come out yet? I was just barely able to deal with the fat one today!"

_Goku called it 'the fat one'... My present counterpart definitely wasn't lying._

"I know... And I'm almost certain that the ones from today weren't a fraction as powerful as the ones from my time..."

"How can you tell?"

"Mostly by the fact that this building is still standing.."

"Geez! You really think we're in this much trouble?"

"We're definitely in deep... As soon as you start to feel better, we've got to get to work on stopping them; that's for sure."

"I'm gonna let you get some rest.. I'll try to catch up with the others. I've heard that they're pursuing Gero off the battlefield. With any luck, they've already dealt with him, but we can never be too safe," Future Gohan said as he headed toward the door.

"Are you going to take Gohan with you? What about Yamcha?" Goku asked, lifting his head up once more.

"Well, knowing how I was at his age I would imagine he's going to want to stick around with you, but I'll at least offer it to him, and I have little doubt that Yamcha's gonna want to tag along with me."  
Future Gohan headed outside to see the friends of the Z Fighters casually pacing around the peaceful island in which the Kame House was located. They all seemed to simultaneously turn their heads in his direction as they heard the old door creep open.

"Sorry about all that. I just needed to talk to him about some stuff... So, I'm about to go and try to catch up with the others. Yamcha, I assume you're game?"

"You bet! Even if I don't end up fighting any of those bots, I at least wanna watch a good fight," he eagerly replied, clenching his fists hastily, as if he were about to fight right then and there.

"What about you, little guy? Your dad could probably use some compan-" he was interrupted.

"I'm going with you..." Present Gohan quietly said.

"Uh..." Future Gohan wasn't expecting this answer, and therefore had nothing prepared for the situation, "O-okay, that's cool... Well, let's go ahead and get moving then!"

The trio burst into the air and began to fly, following the trail of power that they could sense coming from the Z Fighters in the distance. Although it was far and somewhat difficult to detect, their instincts told them they were headed in the correct direction.

Several miles from the battlefield in which Android 19 was defeated, the Z Fighters were hot on Dr. Gero's trail. His lack of detectable ki was certainly an advantage for him right now, perhaps one that saved his cold, artificial life.

"For an old geezer, that guy sure can move..." Krillin commented, getting more exhausted from the persistent pursuing he and the others had been partaking in.

"Age doesn't affect androids. In terms of stamina, this guy might as well be a young teenager," Piccolo said.

"I guess that's true... I know he's got me beat in the stamina game, that's for sure," Krillin admitted. The others were likewise growing tired and thinking he was long-gone, however he was the first to actually say something about it.

King Cold hovered slightly above the crowd of Z Fighters, "Look! Gero was obviously running for a certain reason."

"Well yeah! He didn't want to die!" Krillin remarked.

"But that's not his only motive, human! Androids do not have the same feelings of fear that we have. While I envy that trait to no end, it tells me something about his current actions."

"I like where this is going. Continue," Piccolo said.

"He must be heading toward a specific destination - not just a place to cower for the rest of his eternal life, but a place where he must have _something_... something that he wishes to use against us. What exactly that is I am uncertain of.." Cold explained.

"That makes sense, actually..." Tien agreed.

"With all of this being said, I believe it is of the utmost importance that we find him soon so we can stop whatever he has planned for us, because whatever it is, it can't be good for us."

"That's all fine and dandy, but that's also way easier said than done.. We can't sense his ki, and he could be heading anywhere in the world for all we know! We're just a few guys!" Krillin argued.

"Logically speaking, I would imagine wherever he's heading isn't incredibly far from here. I don't know why he would setup a base or anything incredibly far from the city that he was at this morning," Tien stated.

"Precisely. I think if we all split up, we could find his location within a reasonable amount of time. We all must remember to remain in contact with each other and notify the rest of the gang when or if we think we may have found the jackpot," King Cold added.

"Couldn't have said it much better myself. Let's get moving." Piccolo ordered.

Right as they were about to burst into separate directions, the trio from the Kame House had arrived.

"Hold on, guys! Where are you all heading?" Yamcha asked the group anxiously.

"We're gonna split up to try to find Gero. King Cold here has some pretty good ideas going on," Krillin answered.

"I see you're back," Tien pointed to Future Gohan, "that's good, since we could definitely use some extra hands."

"I'm willing to do whatever I can," Future Gohan modestly replied.

"Dad is doing better, too. Hopefully he'll be able to help out before too long," Present Gohan said, happily, however wishing to maintain a certain degree of seriousness that the adults were carrying.

"Say, where's Vegeta?" Yamcha asked, now that everyone else was done talking.

"He was furious when we last saw him. There was no way he was going to stop and take a break with us... It's honestly no telling exactly where he's at by now, but I don't think he'll blink again until he finds that android," Krillin explained.

"Enough chat. All of our stories are square now, right?" Piccolo waited for a moment, knowing no one would answer his hypothetical question, "Good. Now let's go moving!"

The team members simultaneously nodded their heads as they broke out into separate directions in a wild chase for the evil Dr. Gero.


	9. Chapter 9: A Fateful Alliance

_**Dragon Ball Z: History of Gohan - Chapter 9**_

The Z Fighters were adamantly searching for the monstrous Dr. Gero and whatever it is that he fled the scene of battle to reach while their friend Goku was lying on a couch in the Kame House, recovering from the heart virus that made him nearly meet his demise. Presumably by the Z Fighters, Vegeta had not taken any breaks in his chase, having more reason to follow the android than anyone else. His headstrong attitude would surely help out in this situation. Having recently reached the Super Saiyan form, Vegeta felt as though he could do anything in the world, and he wasn't about to let a pile of scrap metal best him.

Vegeta had not thought any words to himself. Letting any emotions that may still remain in his cold body may get in the way of the mission or distract him from his objective. He could feigntly overhear some words as he sped past a rock mass.

"Wait, so if our kind of technology is the latest kind, why did you put old stuff in Android 19?" an unidentified person said. Vegeta certainly had not heard this voice in the past, however he could tell that it was a young adult male most likely. He immediately stopped and began to follow the sound he heard; while he may have been unable to sense their ki, their voice was just as audible as any other.

"Well... you see... I just... um..." Vegeta was positive that voice came from Dr. Gero. He had certainly found his hideout at last. Before busting through, he stopped himself to listen in more to the conversation being had.

"Is it perhaps that our technology is far superior? Frightening, even?" This time the voice was clearly coming from a young woman.

"Your technology is without a doubt greater than the energy-absorption technology in Android 19 and myself; I will not lie," Gero answered, careful on his wording for some reason, as if to not offend the androids.

"Then why not make more androids like us? Why would you waste your time with a piece of junk?" The young man asked.

"Okay! I'll admit it! I didn't want an android that would be too powerful to control for this situation, but it's clear that the data I collected on these people isn't accurate! I needed something more powerful, which is why I have awoken you two!" Gero shouted angrily.

"If you want power, then why not wake up this Android 16 fellow?" The woman asked, "17 and I should be enough for these wimps, but it can't hurt to be safe."

If he wasn't certain before by the talks of energy absorption and other technology, Vegeta was now absolutely positive that Gero had unleashed more androids onto the world.

"Android 16 was a failed experiment, 18! He is far too powerful for this situation! Awakening him could mean the death of not only the Z Fighters, but also us, and maybe even the entire planet!" Gero explained profusely.

_Gah! The entire planet? That chubby android was child's play, certainly not enough to destroy the Earth..._ Vegeta thought to himself, getting closer and closer to barging into the hideout.

"Which is exactly why we should let him out and have some fun! Three's company, isn't it, Gero?" The young man asked. Vegeta had been able to put a name on him by now, having listened to the others address him. The young man was named Android 17, and the young woman was Android 18.

"I... I suppose we would certainly have a large upper-hand against them if we were to let him out..." Gero settled, knowing that arguing with the androids would not be advisable. This was exactly why he was afraid of using them earlier, however it was necessary.

"Good idea, old man... I wasn't going to ask you twice," Android 17 said as he approached Android 16's chamber.

_This Android 16 fellow could be the real deal... Hehehehe... I hope he of all people can provide some challenge for the mighty Super Saiyan Prince Vegeta! I'll let this proceed, then butt in.._

Android 17 slowly stepped closer to the chamber until he opened a panel covering the controls. Without so much as looking back at Gero and 18, he activated it. Vegeta only hoped that he could witness the event with his own eyes, however he did not wish to reveal his presence until some moments later. The panel covering the idle android was opened. _This montrous piece of machinery could have any appearance... Is he tall, thin, short, fat, muscular, or lanky? I haven't been this excited in a long time..._ Vegeta thought to himself, hardly able to contain himself.

As the android powered on, his eyes turned a bright red for a few moments until he stood up and stepped out of his placement chamber. The trio of androids stared at him blankly.

"If you're waiting for him to say something, you'll be disappointed. I made Android 16 much more focused than you two.. He will only respond when it is of major importance for him to speak.." Gero explained.

"That sounds like something that could be used as an advantage for killing things, doctor... Say, you wouldn't have happened to have removed that feature in us because you were... oh, I dunno, _scared_ of Android 16, would you have?" Android 17 asked sadistically.

"I have my own reasonings for what I've done in the creation of my androids and it's none of your business!" Gero outburst.

Android 17 clasped his hand on Gero's face, "Oh wait.. My bad. I forgot that I'm not one of your chummy energy absorption models..." He lifted Gero several feet from the ground while tightening his grip on him, "I'm a monster - one that's far more powerful than you. The only reason I haven't crushed your poorly-designed exoskeleton is because I want to know everything about your creations."

"Yes, Gero.. We truly admire your work," Android 18 sarcastically added.

"Now... What makes 16 tick?" Android 17 asked demandingly.

"His main objective is to destroy Goku... Mention something about that and you're bound to get his attention!" Gero answered desperately.

_Kakarot? These things have a vendetta against him? This just got a lot more interesting..._

Android 17 dropped the doctor suddenly as he immediately began to turn and slowly step toward Android 16, who had not moved from his position since stepping outside of his chamber. Android 18 simply crossed her arms and tilted her head in the direction of the two of them.

"How badly do you want to defeat Goku?" Android 17 asked, testing the advice of Gero.

"It is my primary mission," Android 16 simply stated.

"And why is it that you want to defeat him, might I ask?" Android 17 continued, wishing to see the boundaries of this model.

"It is what I was programmed to do," Android 16 minimalistically elaborated.

"You're not much of a talker, are you?" Android 18 asked.

Android 16 said nothing.

"Aww, he doesn't like you, sis... You might have hurt his feelings. Do you think that blonde lady over there is rude?" Android 17 asked.

_He's treating him like a child... If only he knew what this child is capable of.._ Gero thought to himself, not wanting to provoke the androids any further. His actions could not be undone, and he was beginning to see that awakening them may have been a mistake. He should have fought and died proudly alongside 19.

Android 16 said nothing.

Vegeta began to sense someone heading toward him. He quickly scanned his surroundings, only to notice King Cold.

"Ah, there you are Ve-"

"Shh!" Veget angrily looked at Cold as he interrupted him, "Keep your power down, too!"

Cold powered down slightly, "What for?"

"The androids are in there, and I don't want them to pick up on us quite yet, as they likely have a built in aparatus for power levels... Also, I don't want the other bumbling fools to find this place!"

"Why not? We need to stop them!"

"They just unleashed a third, and supposedly more powerful android. His sole mission is to defeat Kakarot, from what I've heard."

"What?! Why would you let them do that?"

"Because I want a challenge! I don't want this fight to be boring..."

"Are you insa-" Cold was once more interrupted, this time by overhearing Android 18.

"Idiot, you changed the subject from Goku to something he doesn't care about. He probably likes me more than you. You're the one who won't mind your own business," Android 18 jokingly insulted her brother. She turned her head toward Gero, "So doctor, is 16 like 17 and I?" she asked.

"What do you mean? He's pure android unlike you two, if that's what you're asking," he answered with uncertainty.

"So you didn't find him randomly and turn him into an android like you did with us?" Android 18 asked, hoping for some assurance.

"That's true. Unlike you, he was never a human," Gero answered.

Vegeta looked at Cold, "He can turn people into androids? This kind of technology is more amazing than I had ever imagined! I'm tired of waiting!"

Vegeta burst into the hideout as Cold followed him, both of them trying to keep their power down for the time being.

"Gah! There's the man who defeated 19!" Gero shouted as he pointed to Vegeta.

"He doesn't look so tough..." Android 17 snidely remarked.

"He's ugly, too," Android 18 added.

"I could care less what I look like, woman. I've been listening in on your conversation for a while now, and I must say that I'm intrigued by these methods in which you created the 17 and 18 models, Gero..." Vegeta admitted.

"Our specs are pretty impressive, I guess..." Android 17 said.

"What peaked my interest was how they were once humans, yet you built them into androids with unlimited stamina," Vegeta began, "These androids were once normal weak humans... What could you do to a Super Saiyan?"

Cold gasped, "Vegeta! You're not thinking about letting him rebuild you as an android, are you?"

"You saw to it that your son was rebuilt in a mechanized form... What qualms might you have with this idea?" Vegeta asked.

"My son needed to be given a new body due to what Kakarot did to him back on Namek.. This is different. I'm in fine fighting fit!" Cold defended himself.

"And you don't think I am? You are an adequate warrior, Cold, however I could turn you into dust with the flick of my wrist, and you know that..."

King Cold gritted his teeth. He knew Vegeta was right.

Vegeta continued, "But there is always room for improvement.. You and I could have so much more power, and with all of the perks that come with sapient life.."

"Hmm... I did admire the trait that androids carry that disables them from feeling fear.. I have had much fear in my life, and I would give anything to live without it in the future."

"Yes.." Vegeta looked back at Dr. Gero, "Is it possible for you to turn Cold and I into cyborgs like 17 and 18?"

"The technology is certainly here... But I don't quite know if I trust you. Why would you do this?" Gero questioned.

"We want a different, perfect life! We want more power! We want nothing more than to be the greatest warriors in the universe!" Vegeta proclaimed.

"I'm still not quite sure if I'm up for this.." King Cold stated.

"Look at you! You and I have more in common than you may realize, Cold... You and I both come from royalty. You and I have both became teddy bears over these past years! That needs to change! We are fighters! My father, myself, and my entire race worked under the thumb of your people for generations. Our two races were the most feared in the galaxy, and now we're defending it.." Vegeta paused as he stared at Cold, "Don't tell me you're not absolutely sickened by that fact. Let us take back what rightfully belongs to us!"

Cold looked up at the bright light in the hideout for a moment. His anxiety combined with the added heat caused him to sweat slightly.

"I'm in."


	10. Chapter 10: A Temporary Denouement

_**Dragon Ball Z: History of Gohan - Chapter 10**_

"Well, this is certainly a large turn of events.. First King Cold attacks me on the battlefield, then Vegeta destroys my minion, and now both of you are asking to join my team.. Hahaha! I can't say I blame you," Gero cockily laughed.

"Grr, don't call it a team! We merely want you to rebuild us as androids so that we can have an upper-hand against Kakarot and the others.. We just have common enemies," Vegeta rebuttled.

"Speaking of those enemies... Don't you think it's only a matter of time until they find this place?" King Cold brought up.

"Hmm... That is a good point. How about you and I go and tell them we've defeated the androids and they have nothing to worry about? That will make our uprising in the coming times all the more surprising," Vegeta suggested.

"Splendid," Cold agreed.

"I will prepare the items needed for the procedures while you're gone. This is going to be an amazing success for us, gentlemen!" Gero cheered. Vegeta and King Cold bolted out of the hideout and purposely headed a good distance away from it before summoning the Z Fighters. They both substantially raised their powers for a few moments, then lowered them to a normal level. As expected, the Earth's Special Forces headed to the scene within minutes.

"Vegeta! King Cold! Have you guys found anything?" Krillin eagerly asked.

"We found Gero's hideout and he was dealt with," Vegeta simply said.

Future Gohan's eyes popped open and his jaw dropped.

"Really? That easily?" Tien asked.

"Didn't you feel that surge of power a few moments ago? It only took a few blasts from the both of us to defeat him." King Cold elaborated.

"No! You forgot the others!" Future Gohan exclaimed. The others looked at him, confused. He noticed that all eyes were on him and that he made a bit of an odd scene, "The androids that attacked my time are not the same two that you all saw on the battlefield earlier... You may have been able to defeat the fat one and the old one, but I assure you that you couldn't just deal with the brutal 17 and 18 with simple blasts... I could sense your power, and it wasn't even in the same ballpark of the blasts I used on them back in my timeline, and mine didn't even scratch their invincible metallic bodies..." Future Gohan had gone off on a small tangent. He could not and would not believe that Vegeta and King Cold defeated them.

"We did meet Androids 17 and 18. I don't appreciate being called a liar, child!" Vegeta argued to Future Gohan.

Future Gohan raised one fist, "Prove it!"

"Android 17 is a young man with black hair. He sported a red bandana above his shirt, which was also black. Android 18, who we discovered was his sister, is a young blonde woman who seemed to be wearing a denim jacket.. She was not unattractive," Vegeta quickly explained, flawlessly carrying his words with no stumbles or stutters.

Future Gohan stood in disbelief. It was all in front of him; Vegeta would only know that information if he had truly seen Android 17 and Android 18, however there was no way he saw them and was able to live the tale, and Gohan knew that.

"Buck up, kid! We did a lot of training ever since you gave us that warning a while back. I'm sure Vegeta alone was enough for them," Tien assured him.

"Say, how about we all head back to the Kame House and chill out with Goku for a bit. I'm sure he'll be glad to hear the news!" Krillin happily suggested. Yamcha and Tien agreed, and began to fly toward its direction. Present Gohan began to go with them, however he glanced back to see Piccolo, Future Gohan, King Cold, and Vegeta remaining where they were.

"Aren't you guys coming?" Present Gohan asked.

"We'll be there in a little bit.. You should get going now to see your father, Gohan," Piccolo sternly said, not even tilting his head to look at Gohan. Gohan could tell that Piccolo had some reasoning for asking him to leave and respected his orders. He burst toward the Kame House quickly, hoping to catch up with the others, however he was still a little curious as to why Piccolo wished for him to be away.

"I don't think I will be joining you all, unfortunately," Cold said, "as I feel it is my time to depart from this planet. I have done my time," he pointed at Future Gohan, "and I indefinitely thank you for sparing my life some years ago and giving me the chance to reform my ideals and start anew. I promise I will not create any trouble through my galactic ventures this time around," Cold assured, bowing to Gohan.

Future Gohan said nothing, nor did Piccolo.

"As for me, I believe I am going to find a remote area on this planet and train rigorously for some time. I don't plan on burdoning myself with the emotions that tend to come with spending time with you all," Vegeta said.

Future Gohan said nothing, nor did Piccolo.

Vegeta could tell that they both had rising suspicions based on their disapproving frowns they had silently cast upon he and Cold.

"What else do you want to hear? We've told you our plans!" Vegeta asked.

Future Gohan breathed heavily as he looked at Piccolo, "You know what? I do think we're done here. There's nothing else I want to hear from these guys."

Future Gohan turned around and began to fly to the Kame House at a reasonable pace, not as rushed as Present Gohan had flown. Piccolo did the same after a few moments.

The others were all inside enjoying the time of peace while Future Gohan stood at the shoreline of the small island, staring out at the horizon. Piccolo walked outside and approached him.

"I know something's up, Gohan.." Piccolo said.

"Bwahhh! You know...?"

"I overheard you talking to your father when you first arrived several years ago. I've known you were Gohan ever since then."

"Geez! I had no idea you knew!"

"I could tell even before then. I watched you grow up. I may not be the most affectionate person out there, but I don't forget faces of people I'm near."

"Huh... That's kinda nice of you to say, Piccolo. But you're right; something is definitely up with Vegeta and Cold... I don't trust either of them, but I have no clue what they could be plotting."

"It isn't obvious, I'll admit... They're both part of completely different rival races, so I highly doubt they'd be working together..."

"There's no doubt that they saw Androids 17 and 18. He described them pretty well. I just have my doubts that they were able to defeat them so easily... But why would they lie about that?"

"It's hard to say... So I guess you're not heading back to your timeline any time too soon?"

"No way.. The whole reason I came here was to learn how to fight the androids, like finding weaknesses maybe. I wanted to train here so that I could return to my timeline and save it... But if the androids are truly destroyed, then I'm a little disappointed. I'm glad it was so easy for you all, but I didn't even get to fight any of them even for a little bit."

"Well, I have the feeling you'll have another opportunity to fight androids sooner or later," Piccolo said as he turned around and walked back inside. Future Gohan watched him walk away and leaving him with things to think about.

Right as he was about to pull his hair out with stress, Bulma proceeded to walk outside and approach him shyly.

"Hey, big guy," she began.

"Oh... Hi, Bulma."

"Are you alright? You sound a little down."

"I'm fine. I've just got a lot on my mind, I guess."

Bulma smiled and winked, "Well, I'm not just a genius scientist! I studied psychology a lot in college, so if you ever want someone to talk to, feel free to come to me any time."

"Heh... Thanks." Future Gohan had missed Bulma's slightly too confident personality from his timeline.

"So, I don't suppose you're going to be staying in this time much longer..." Bulma said, as her tone shifted to a more reserved and much less peppy one.

"I'm actually planning on staying for a while.."

Bulma's head raised with intrigue as she looked at Gohan to wait for the rest of what he had to say.

"I'm not positive that I'm done here," he elaborated.

"Well, if you're going to be staying around, we have plenty of rooms over at Capsule Corporation. They're really cushy, too! You're more than welcome to stay at one of them for the time being."

_Wait... Where was I planning on staying at?_ Gohan thought to himself. _There's certainly not enough extra room at mom and dad's house or over here at the Kame House... And I do already know my way around Capsule Corporation pretty well by now._

"You know.. I just might have to take you up on that offer, Bulma." Future Gohan was secretly feeling a little homesick, however he did not want to return to his timeline. Everything felt awkward in this one, though. He just wanted a peaceful life, growing up with his mother and father, but he knew that was impossible. All he could hope for was that Preset Gohan would end up with the peaceful teenage years he didn't have. The best part of his life in his timeline was living with Bulma and Trunks. Bulma was just a caring, spunky girl who saw to it that he and Trunks stayed safe. While she worried about him constantly, she trusted that Gohan knew how to defend himself and let him do what he thought was appropriate. Trunks was his best friend, and his student. This whole day Gohan couldn't get the thoughts out of his head.

_It was my fault that Trunks died in my timeline, and now it's my fault that he wasn't born in this one.._


	11. Chapter 11: Super Sapient

_**Dragon Ball Z: History of Gohan - Chapter 11**_

Seven months and twenty-four days.

It had been seven months and twenty-four days since one of the most eventful days in the Z Fighters' memories. During that fateful day, Goku had a near-death experience involving the heart virus predicted by Future Gohan, only to be saved by a violent Vegeta. Vegeta was able to defeat Goku's attacker with ease, and continued to pursue his creator, Dr. Gero, while Goku was recovering from the illness. Vegeta allowed Gero to unleash three more androids onto the world until he and Cold requested to be turned into androids themselves, much like how 17 and 18 were transformed. The world seemed somewhat at peace to most, however Future Gohan and Piccolo knew much better. They were in disbelief as to Vegeta and Cold's stories pertaining to them miraculously defeating Gero, 17, and 18.

Future Gohan had been living with Bulma at Capsule Corp for these past months. Over the duration of his stay, Bulma got to get to know him. Not wanting her to realize that he was really just an older version of Gohan, he impulsively told her his name was Godan, and that he was Goku's second son from the future. She had known since his first trip to this timeline that he was from the future, however was never informed of his true identity. He wished for his true identity to remain a secret to the others, and had convinced them of the same story. Goku, who had since made a speedy recovery from his heart virus, and Piccolo, who trained alone in the mountains over the past months, seemed to be the only two people to know the truth; he told Goku, and Piccolo overheard him doing so. While people such as Krillin, Yamcha, etc. knowing that he was Gohan would not necessarily alter the future, he wished to have his own identity for now.

Meanwhile at Dr. Gero's hideout, the procedures turning Vegeta and Cold into sapient life forms had been complete.

"I must say... I was on the fence about this earlier, however I can say with confidence that this is some of my greatest work!" Gero praised himself.

"You're not going to get tired of us now, are you?" Android 17 rhetorically asked.

"Of course not. You and 18 will be just as vital to our success as these two will.. With your combined forces, even an entire army of Super Saiyans wouldn't stand a chance!"

"Good. Now let's quit the yapping and play with our new toys." Android 18 butted in, abruptly ending the short conversation, filled with anticipation.

"Yes, let's..." Gero agreed as he lifted the panel on Cold's chamber. Although their procedures were technically complete nearly an entire day beforehand, he was allowing the units time to remain idle, as was his custom. After pausing for a moment, he activated the button, awakening Cold from his stasis. The door began to slide open slowly. All eyes were on the chamber.

The door was completely open. The group stared blankly at it, waiting for Cold to awaken, but to no avail.

"What did you do wrong, you clown?" Android 18 asked impatiently.

"I.. I don't know! I swear, I followed a nearly identical procedure with these two as I did with you two!" Gero rushed toward the chamber. He peered his head over it, investigating its contents.

Cold's eyes kept opening and closing, his jerking left and right.

"Ah... He's just a little delusional. I should have given him more time to remain idle, perhaps. Nothing to worry about, I'm sure." Gero explained, "Now, can you tell me what your name is, big fella?"

Cold slowly began to sit up, "Cold.. My name is Cold... King Cold!" he was quickly collecting himself as he awoke.

"Very good. Do you know who I am?" Gero asked.

"You are Dr. Gero... You turned Vegeta and I into androids so that we may assist you in your efforts against the Earth's Special Forces..."

"Excellent! Once I got you going, you really got going!" Gero was filled with joy as his experiment was a success.

Cold finished exiting the chamber, only to nearly collapse on the ground immediately thereafter. Gero rushed toward him, getting on one knee.

"Cold, are you alright?" he asked, concerned.

"Yeah... I just haven't walked in a while... Give me a few minutes and I'm sure I'll be fine.. I'll just sit here for now. Go ahead and wake up Vegeta."

Gero stood back up cautiously, "Alright then..." he turned around and began to approach Vegeta's chamber, which was much smaller in size compared to the chamber that Cold's size required, "This is my crowned glory.." Gero lifted the panel on his chamber, "Vegeta already had such astonishing power that making him into an amazing killing machine was a piece of cake!" Gero's hand neared the activation button, not hitting it quite yet, "I'm expecting it will take him some moments to collect himself just like you, Cold, however he will be absolutely unstoppable once he-" Gero was interrupted by a dusty explosion, knocking him to the ground. Cold covered his face, still not confident in his ability to stand. 17 and 18 likewise shielded themselves from the small debris that the explosion produced. Android 16 only closed his eyes as to not damage his vision sensors. He otherwise stood completely still, not budging in the slightest.

As the dust settled, the entire group was staring at Vegeta's pod, which had been broken into many pieces. Vegeta was covered by a purple energy-produced barrier which was the cause of his pod's destruction. Vegeta hovered roughly seven and a half inches above the floor, still surrounded by his barrier. His elbows stood firmly cocked.

"I didn't even hit the activate button!" Gero shouted, in pure awe at what he just witnessed.

The barrier slowly faded as he descended to the ground and loosened his arms.

Dr. Gero stood up, shaking. Everyone in the hideout was at a lack for words, waiting for someone else to say something.

"Wow, Cold... You're a wimp. Android 16 was in stasis for way longer than you and he was able to get up just fine. Then Vegeta over here demolishes the chamber before Gero even wakes him up," Android 17 rudely remarked, breaking the silence.

"Grr..." Cold was insulted, however he was able to bite his tongue for the time being.

"Oh come on, people. Gero had to have put a camera application within your mechanical eyes. I would tell you to take a picture using it, but I'll last centuries longer."

Vegeta looked up as he crossed his arms, _This is it.. I have obtained eternal life. I have these new powers... Endless stamina.. This is the beginning of the greatest reign of terror in the history of the universe._

Vegeta and Cold both looked identical to how they did before the procedure. Unlike his previous models, Gero refrained from printing a Red Ribbon logo onto an article of their clothing, as he didn't want to make their transformations obvious to others. On the inside, however, they were nothing like how they were before the operation.

"This is cool and all, but let's get to work. 16, 17, and I have been waiting very patiently these past few months for you to build us our new friends..." Android 18 said to Gero as she eyed Vegeta, "And quite frankly, we're ready to blow something up already."

"I'm glad you're in the appropriate mood, 18! Soon, everything will come into fruition. The Z Fighters have been enjoying seven months of peace, and it's all about to crumble as we make a surprise attack!" Gero proclaimed, clenching his fists, his back slightly bent forward.

"Just tell us what the plan is.. After seven months I hope it's a darn good one," Android 17 requested.

"Oh, it is a good plan indeed... You see, with Vegeta and Cold, I had a new opportunity.. an opportunity to make updates according to the new-found powers that some of the fighters have gained over the past few years of training. None of my previous models were built with Super Saiyans in mind, but these two have the latest firmware in my arsenal! In addition to that, they have all of the perks that come with being a cyborg; their ki, or lack thereof, is undetectable. They also, like you three, have built in ki detectors," Gero turned and pointed to Vegeta, "Vegeta, you can think of this as a built-in scouter. Their endless stamina and lack of pain will be an amazing advantage in the battlefield when combined with their increased strength that I was able to implant in them."

Cold was finally able to stand up.

"With all of this being said, here is the battle plan I had in mind.. Cold, the Z Fighters currently believe that you left the planet, correct?"

"That is correct."

"Excellent. I wish for you to make a false attack onto the planet, particularly Goku's home. Convince them that you are betraying them and ending the unofficial treaty you entered when that boy spared you some years ago. I know you are eager to try out your new toys, so feel free to rough up anyone you wish in the process, however try to keep the Z Fighters alive for the time being."

"Understood. Should I lead them back here?"

"No. I still have some things in this hideout that I wish to keep in secrecy. I wish for you to lead him to Capsule Corporation's headquarters."

"Capsule Corp? Why there?" Cold asked.

"It is likely that there is great technological advances for humanity in there... I want them destroyed. It is located in the gigantic West City. If there is anything the Z Fighters could use against us, it would be there. The amount of human casualties is up to you."

"Understood."

"By the time you arrive at West City and destroy Capsule Corporation, I predict that the entire crew will have arrived on the scene. That's when I want you," Gero pointed to Vegeta, "to butt in and pretend to fight Cold for a few moments. While they are all enjoying a good fight, 16, 17, 18, and I will sneak in from behind and make a great assault on the unsuspecting heroes. Do we all understand?"

"Sounds easy enough," Android 17 stated.

"Piece of cake," Android 18 added.

"Well, we have nothing to wait for now. Cold, you begin your trip to Goku's home, and make it fast! The rest of us will be in the city awaiting you."

Chi-Chi stood inside washing dishes, staring out the window directly in front of her, watching her husband and son play catch while her father, Ox King, watched and cheered the two on.

"Dad, throw me a hard pass! These are way too easy to catch!" Gohan demanded.

"Hehehehe! Alright!" Goku turned into a Super Saiyan instantaneously. He gripped the baseball tightly, bent his knees, and prepared for the pitch.

"Gah! I said hard, not impossible!" Gohan fretted as he saw his father getting ready for a mighty throw.

Goku grunted as he threw the ball directly at Gohan. The ball spun with amazing velocity in an a perfectly straight line. Ox King took his glasses off and cleaned the lenses with his white shirt, not believing what he just saw.

Gohan closed his eyes a moment before the pitch was launched. He blindly threw his arms out, opening his palms. After a few seconds, he seemed less scared. He opened his eyes and relaxed his arms to find the ball placed perfectly in his hands.

"I caught it! I caught it!"

"Nothing's impossible, Gohan."

"Hey! If the boy can catch a pitch from a Super Saiyan, I bet I can! I don't wanna brag, but I used to be quite the baseball player back in my prime... hehehe.." Ox King boasted, his eyes closed.

"Well sure ya can! You ready, Ox?" Goku cheerily asked.

"You bet! Give me all you got, Goku!" Ox King's eyes opened wide as he opened his palms.

Goku sparked his aura, raising his power substantially.

"Gah!" Ox King was now worried.

Goku launched the baseball at Ox King just as fast as he had previously done so with Gohan. Ox King closed his eyes immediately after the ball left Goku's hand. Preparing himself to be knocked out by a powerful blow to the head, Ox cringed. He felt something hit his hands fairly harshly, but not nearly harsh enough to knock him down. He opened his eyes, looked down, and saw the baseball sitting in his hands.

"Wow! I can't believe it! Hahahahaha! I guess the kid's still got it!" Ox King was overjoyed.

Chi-Chi dried her hands off, now done with the dishes.

_*Sigh* Oh, Goku.. I saw that. You vanished in front of the ball, caught it, placed it in my dad's hands, and got back to your original spot before he could even notice... You may not be the smartest man I know, but that was clever... and sweet._

"How about I try pitching to you now, Goku? I bet I could strike you out! Hahaha!" Ox King cockily said, getting entirely too ahead of himself.

Goku did not reply. He simply looked behind himself. He seemed disturbed by something.

"Goku?" Ox King asked, confused.

Goku still said nothing.

"Did I upset you by catching it? You're still a very fine pitcher!"

Gohan seemed concerned. He slowly took several steps in the direction of his father, still a good distance away, "Dad... What's wrong? I don't feel anyone nearby other than us."

"I heard something moving... something that I couldn't detect energy from." Goku stated.

"But... Everything has energy, except the an..." Gohan stopped himself as he realized what he was saying, "B-but Vegeta defeated the androids seven months ago, dad!"

"Ox King, you better get inside right now.." Goku sternly suggested. Without saying anything, he rushed into the house and informed Chi-Chi that something was awry, however forced her to remain inside and to not interfere.

Goku had not been this focused in a long time. No distractions would be allowed until he realized what it was that he heard. Gohan kept his eyes open for the unidentified threat, however found it hard to concentrate while thoughts were racing through his young mind. He couldn't help but study his father, who was standing in front of him and looking in the opposite direction.

Suddenly Gohan felt an arm wrap around his neck, gripping him tightly. The person was obviously much taller than him, as they lifted him several feet from the ground by putting him in this headlock.

Goku turned around immediately, "King Cold!"

"Make your move, Kakarot."


	12. Chapter 12: Battle for West City Begins

"Let go of my son! If you want to pick a fight, I'm right here!" Goku proudly stood in a fighting stance, already in his Super Saiyan form.

"I wasn't there to defend my son on Namek..." Cold tightened his grip on Gohan's neck.

"Gaaaaahhhhh!" Gohan let out a terrified shriek of pain, unlike any other he'd ever uttered.

"If my memory serves me right, roughly three and a half years ago, you were bragging about how easily you could defeat me, little boy... Isn't that correct?" Cold tightened his grasp even more, still remembering what Gero had said about keeping the Z Fighters alive for right now.

Goku charged toward Cold. He was intercepted by Chi-Chi, who had rushed outside, ignoring Ox King's warnings.

"Hey! You put my son down right now, mister! Don't think I won't call the authorities!" She demanded.

Cold looked down at Chi-Chi.

"Chi-Chi! Get inside right now!" Goku ordered.

"I will do no such thing, Goku! You always want to solve these problems with your fists! This time we're solving things my way, with reasoning and empty threats!" she argued.

"You want me to let go of your child?" Cold facetiously asked as he harshly threw Gohan to the ground. Goku quickly reacted, crouching to a lower elevation and sliding his back on the ground in order to catch Gohan before he hit the hard ground.

"Catch him, Chi-Chi!" Goku looked at his wife before he threw Gohan to her. Cold was approaching her, his shoulders broadened. Goku set the unconscious Gohan down on the ground as he sprinted toward her.

Cold retracted his fist behind him, preparing for a single blow that could kill Chi-Chi by crushing every bone in her body. Goku leaped into the air as he vanished in between Cold and his wife. Goku caught Cold's fist using both of his hands and was able to save her life.

"Get inside!" Goku ordered once more, drenched in sweat.

Chi-Chi said nothing. She simply ran inside.

Cold's fist was still pushing forward as Goku was stopping it with all his might.

"I thought you left the earth!" Goku asked, struggling.

"I'm back, with revenge and galactic domination on my mind!" Cold replied, getting into this pretend scenario he had created.

Gohan, still slightly dazed, regained a little of his consciousness. He looked over at his father. _Heh... That looks a lot like how I did when I fought King Cold a few years ago... Go get him, dad..._

"I won't let you do this!" Goku shouted.

"I wasn't giving you an option!" Cold argued as he swung his fist to the right, launching Goku into some nearby trees, knocking them down. Cold hovered a little above the forests, still easily visible by Goku, "You're boring me. Perhaps I can find some fun elsewhere."

Goku sat up, his clothes torn. He had several lacerations on his torso, but nothing that would keep him from fighting. Cold quickly darted away in the skies, and Goku immediately followed, quickly collecting himself.

It was lunch time. Over the course of the seven months that Future Gohan, falsely known by most of the others as Godan, had been living at Capsule Corporation, he had somewhat-inadvertantly developed a relationship with the Bulma of this timeline. Each day he reminded himself of the remorse he felt for Trunks not being born.

_It was my fault.. if I didn't talk to Bulma that one day I came here, she wouldn't have fallen for me.. and Trunks would be born. I don't even know why, but I've fallen for her as well.. Maybe I just felt lonely here in this timeline. Maybe I missed living with Bulma and Trunks, even though we lived in fear every day from the androids. Am I even in love with this Bulma, or am I really in love with the one from my time? Are they identical? I know that I'm going to have to return to my timeline someday and leave this Bulma here, alone.. For whatever reason my subconscious might have, I've been suckered into this.. I feel happy, but this is wrong. What implications am I putting onto the future of this timeline by doing this?_

Gohan's thinking was interrupted by Bulma bringing in two plates of food with their lunches.

"It stinks that today had to be such a yucky, rainy day... I was hoping we'd have a picnic for lunch today. You did want a tenderloin, right, Godan?" she asked, walking to the table Future Gohan was sitting at.

_Every time she calls me Godan I hate myself for the lie that I'm living with her.. But if she knew who I really was, she might be weirded out since Present Gohan is so young.._

"Yeah, that's what I wanted," he tried to mask his deep thinking.

"You should know by now that I can tell when you're upset. You've seemed just fine for the past few months. What's wrong, sweetie?" she asked.

_This is it. I have to tell her everything. I can't live like this. I'll face whatever consequences may come with it._

"Bulma, I..." Gohan stopped himself. He jerked his head away from her. He squinted his eyes as he scanned the room carefully. He attempted to focus himself as he studied the area.

"What's going on?" Bulma asked, growing slightly worried.

He completely ignored her, as he was trying to fully concentrate. A tingling sensation overcame his head.

"Godan?" Bulma asked as she put her left hand on his shoulder, wondering if he was alright.

"Let go of me!" Gohan snapped as he shook his arm, knocking her off of him.

Her eyes became slightly watery, "What's wrong?"

Gohan quickly jerked his head in the opposite direction as something caught his interest.

He stood up quickly, knocking down the chair he was sitting in.

They were on the thirteenth floor of this particular building; there was no way he could rush the both of them down all the stairs, nor would the elevator be a good idea. He needed a fast exit.

He grabbed Bulma and carried her in his arms as he sprinted to the end of the room. Gohan leaped into the air and performed a one hundred-eighty degree rotation as he propelled himself and Bulma through the window of the room and outside. The back of his shirt was cut slightly by the glass, however he kept Bulma perfectly unharmed by doing his fast-thinking manuever. Before they were even twenty feet away from the building, the entire structure collapsed in a fiery explosion. Bulma squeezed Gohan's arms tighter as she saw a building with millions of dollars worth of her family's technology, and even some of their employees, be completely obliderated right before her very eyes.

This is the part where Gohan would take Bulma to a safe place and fight whatever threat it was that caused this, however this was definitely not a standard fight. If this building had been attacked, who's to say that another building wouldn't also be shortly thereafter? For the time being, Gohan focused on finding the threat, while keeping Bulma safe in his arms. He swiftly flew around the campus for a few moments until he saw Goku, slightly damaged, in his Super Saiyan form chasing after something. He realized that Goku was the power he was sensing earlier. His eyes followed ahead of Goku until he believed he saw the person Goku was after.

Gohan's jaw dropped as his entire body shook profusely.

_No.. No! What have I done?! I spared his life, and now he's going to destroy this place! I'm such a fool! I knew I should have killed him while I had the chance!_

Krillin, Tien, and Yamcha arrived on-location.

"Chi-Chi called me saying that Goku was heading westward. I could sense his energy miles back... I grabbed these two guys on my way over here," Krillin explained quickly.

The four of them watched the battle from a distance.

"Woah! Is that King Cold? I thought he was in space!" Yamcha exclaimed.

"Apparently he's not anymore..." Tien said.

Gohan's guilt and regrets continued to pile up as he speechlessly watched his tiring father chase the evil galactic king around Capsule Corporation. He looked down to see Bulma huddled in his arms, clenching his shirt tightly, tears streaming down her face.

"Enough is enough! Haaaahhhh!" Future Gohan turned into a Super Saiyan quickly, almost as quickly as his father was able to at the time.

"Krillin! I want you to hold Bulma for me! Whatever you do, don't take her indoors!" he gently placed Bulma in Krillin's arms, "I promise I'll be back, Bulma.." he looked back at Krillin, "He's destroying the headquarters for some reason. I'm gonna go help out my dad; he looks kinda tired."

Future Gohan began to fly toward the fight with determination in his blue eyes. Tien and Yamcha followed cautiously behind him.

Dr. Gero was hiding behind a building with 16, 17, and 18. He was using a comm chat device he built into Vegeta and Cold to speak to them, "I don't know how many people Cold can take on at one time.. He's getting a little covered out there, Vegeta. Now's your time! Go and put on a good staged show for us!" he ordered Vegeta eagerly as he continued to watch the rainy battle.

Goku was flying toward Cold at an alarming rate, still furious for what he had done to Gohan and tried to do to Chi-Chi. Future Gohan and the others were facing Cold's back; he was in between them and Goku.

Goku opened his right hand as he charged a one-armed Kamehameha blast, heading ever-closer to Cold.

"Alright, Vegeta. I want you to come in and push me out of the way of Kakarot's blast at the last minute. It is then that we will pretend to fight for a few moments until the others come in," Cold muttered using the comm device.

"Ka.. me..."

"Can do," Vegeta stated over the comm.

Cold stood still and fearless as Goku neared him.

"Ha... MEE..."

"Hahahahahahaha!" Cold couldn't help but laugh at how well this plan was going thus far.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Goku finished charging the blast as he slammed his hand into Cold's abdomen. The blast enfurled around him, blanketing him in a plasmaic coat of pure light-blue energy.

Smoke and dust flooded the area suddenly. The Z Fighters covered their faces, despite wanting to be able to see the aftermath of the blast as soon as it became visible.

Goku hovered in the air, panting. He had finally used all the energy he had. Having wasted some bits of it playing catch in Super Saiyan form, then using a lot of it during the intense chase to West City, and now being completely drained after launching a finishing blast. He descended to his base form as he passed out and fell toward ground from incredibly high up.

The dust and smoke and settled and faded away.

"No.. no way..." Yamcha hovered in pure awe. Cold was standing perfectly still, not a scratch on him.

Goku's body continued to hurdle downward, gaining momentum every second that he fell. As if he, too, became an android, he would not feel the pain from this fall, however that is only because he was knocked out cold, not because he was rebuilt. None of the fighters dared to try to rescue him, as Cold would surely stop them, assuming they would even be fast enough to get to him before he hit the solid pavement below them. Not only that, but most of them were still motionless in shock at how well Cold sustained Goku's powerful blast.

Goku had trained in 100x gravity before, but falling from that high up created a high amount of pressure and weight, even for him.

"What are you doing, Vegeta?! You're lucky that blast didn't destroy Cold! He might not be as lucky next time! Now get in there and do as you were instructed this instant!" Gero ordered over the comm.

As Goku's body was mere inches from an incredible impact with the ground - one that would break his bones and injur him severely - he was caught by someone, softening the impact to where no injuries were received at all. The person had slid under him on their back just in time. That person was Present Gohan.

"Vegeta! Where are you? Answer me! I created you!"


	13. Chapter 13: All Truths Let Out

The rain grew heavier as the wind picked up. It seemed as though if the androids didn't destroy West City, the dangerous weather would.

"What happened to you, Cold?" Future Gohan began in desparation, "Three years ago, a blast like that would have completely destroyed you, and here you are, standing as if nothing happened at all!"

"What I did is irrelevant at this point, child. All you need to know is that I am unstoppable! Fighting back is useless!"

"Yeah, well you may be able to take a hit pretty decent, but," Future Gohan hovered back several feet, closer to Yamcha, Tien, and Present Gohan, "I wonder how well you can take four hits.."

"Alright! 16, 17, 18! Get out there and help him out! Each of you pick someone and defend Cold!" Gero ordered, pointing to the skies where a heated battle was about to begin. Android 17 and Android 18, who had both been itching for a fight for quite some time now, immediately leaped into the air to do as they were told. Android 18 attacked Tien as Android 17 attacked Present Gohan.

"16, why aren't you out there fighting?" Gero asked frantically.

"I do not wish to fight."

"Do I look like I care? You better be grateful that I let you out of stasis, you machine! Now get out there and protect our mission!"

Android 16 stood silently.

"Fine, factory recall!" Gero said as he took 16's place in the battle. Ironically enough, he was squared up against Yamcha once again, who, this time around, was putting up a much better fight since he was not attacked by surprise.

"Guess this just leaves you and me..." Future Gohan stated, his golden hair waving in the fierce winds.

"If your father couldn't even scratch me, what makes you think you will do any better?"

"I don't have any evidence to suggest I'll do any better," Future Gohan clenched his fists as he sparked his aura, "But I'm the one who spared your sorry life years ago, and I'm not going to let anyone else take a beating for my bad call.." He suddenly darted in the direction of Cold, "Rhaaaaaaaahhhh!" and jabbed his elbow into Cold's face, knocking him back slightly.

"Your energy tasted good, young man.. I've been craving more of it here lately, you know?" Dr. Gero insulted Yamcha while fighting him.

"Too bad, but you can taste my fist!" Yamcha shouted as he swung his fist toward Gero's face, only to be caught by Gero's quick reflexes. Gero punched Yamcha strongly in the stomach. He was able to collect himself quickly and continue the scuffle.

"Not bad.. Your speed is impressive, young one." Cold admitted. He was able to talk like this after a devastating blow due to his newly-gained lack of pain, which he was utilizing greatly today.

Future Gohan said nothing; he simply let out a series of punches and kicks, all of which were guarded by Cold with minimal effort. Wishing to break the combo, Gohan vanished behind Cold and quickly kicked him in the back. While he had a free shot, he immediately grabbed Cold's tail, as it was completely vulnerable for an instant.

"Hey, you're kinda cute, you know that?" Android 18 toyed with Tien.

"Can it, cyborg freak!" He harshly replied as he punched Android 18 with great power, his first substantial strike onto her.

"Is this really your best strategy, fool? Grab me from behind? Do you have no pride?" Cold asked, not seeming threatened, but annoyed, by Future Gohan.

Future Gohan ignored his questions, "Guys! Keep your eyes open!" he vaguely shouted to his fellow Z Fighters as he swung King Cold toward Dr. Gero with amazing force from his tail.

"I kinda like your haircut, kid.. Think I'd look good with it?" Android 17 snarkily asked Present Gohan.

"Heh... First you have to copy our fighting techniques, now you wanna copy my style? Not happening, creep!" Present Gohan said as he launched a hard uppercut on Android 17's chin.

The hurdling King Cold's body hit Gero unexpectedly, knocking him to the ground. Yamcha, who heard the warning, was able to grab Cold by the horns. He did a similar toss, this time toward Android 18.

"Heads up, hottie," Tien smirked, as he stopped fighting Android 18.

"Huh?" Android 18 asked. Before Tien could even answer, she had been struck by Cold's gargantuan metallic body, knocking her down as well.

Yamcha looked at his hands. He had inadvertently ripped off Cold's horns. He rotated them in his hands to examine them, only to see that wires were cut and sparking at the ends of them.

Tien grabbed Cold by his right leg and threw him harshly in the direction of Android 17, likewise bringing 17 to the ground as Present Gohan caught Cold.

"Guys! There are wires coming out of the horns that I tore off of him... I don't get what this means.." Yamcha stated, now that the fight was calmed and they had a few moments before the androids stood back up.

"It means he's an android..." an unseen person stated. The Z Fighters scanned the area in bewilderment as they felt a certain bit of power rising, slowly but surely.

"Hey, look! It's dad! He's waking up!" Present Gohan eagerly pointed below as Goku was beginning to push himself back up.

"Geez! Goku thought of the answer before any of us? Well I'll be..." Yamcha said, happy to see him doing better.

"I mean... it only makes sense.. That's why I couldn't sense him earlier today..." Goku said, still struggling slightly.

"Of course! He's a cyborg, just like 17 and 18!" Future Gohan concluded as he smacked his hands together.

"Looks like we have some natural Einsteins around here, hehehehe..." Cold said, barely operable after being swung around and having his horns torn off. Glitches in his voice were noticed.

"Bwahhh!" Present Gohan was frightened as Cold began to speak while he was holding him.

"This explains why he would turn on us.. Gero must have turned him into an android in exchange for helping him fight us!" Tien added.

Future Gohan flew closer to Cold, "Why would you do it, Cold? I spared your life and gave you a chance to live, and you go and risk it all like this?"

"I.. I used to be a king.. Then I was defeated by you - a mere boy! I had to beg for mercy from a filthy Saiyan! It humiliated me... I wasn't going to stand for it, so I took the chance to gain new abilities in sapient life..."

"I wish I could say I feel sorry for you, but I can't. You put this on yourself," Future Gohan simply said.

Future Gohan placed his hand on Cold's dome. He looked to Present Gohan and nodded his head, signaling for him to let go of him and hand him over to Future Gohan, which he did.

"Tell Frieza I said hi," Future Gohan said as he crushed Cold's weakened head.

The other Z Fighters stood in astonishment as he was able to crush Cold so easily, not treating it as if it even took a lot of strength. The androids had stood back up by now, but stayed on the ground, knowing that this fight was not worth fighting without Cold or Vegeta, especially now that Goku was regaining his strengths.

Future Gohan stared at the broken android that was lying in his arms.

"Just to be safe..." he muttered to himself.

Future Gohan tossed Cold many feet in the air. He began to charge a Kamehameha blast, only to vanish to where Cold's body was flying, and launch it from him at a close distance, completely destroying every trace of his metallic body.

"Wow! He just did an Instant Transmission Kamehameha or something.. That's nifty!" Krillin exclaimed, still holding Bulma.

"He sure is amazing..." Bulma said, happy the battle had calmed down.

The androids, still standing on the ground, stood in awe for a few moments.

"Enough fooling around! Goku is regaining his strengths! Get him!" Gero ordered, interrupting the silence.

Android 17 and 18 looked at each other, then proceeded to run toward Goku, who was still not completely up on both of his feet yet.

"Gah! Goku!" Yamcha shouted as he headed toward Goku.

Before anyone, be it an android or a Z Fighter, could get to Goku, a figure vanished directly in front of him, blocking all of their paths. Both groups of people stopped in their tracks, as they were in disbelief at who had just now shown up.

It was Vegeta, standing firmly in place in front of Goku.

"Vegeta! Boy, are we glad you're h-" Tien began.

"Shut up!" Vegeta shortly commanded, violently tilting his head in Tien's direction. He glared at him for a few moments, only to look back in the direction of the androids, "If anyone is going to defeat Kakarot, it will be me! I didn't let you rebuild me just so I could sit around and do nothing!"

The Z Fighters shared a collective gasp.

"Ve-Vegeta... You're an android too?" Goku asked.

"Yes.. Over the past seven months, I allowed Dr. Gero to rebuild King Cold and I into cyborgs so that we could attain power we could have otherwise never dreamed of!"

"But... You would never take any help from anyone, Vegeta.. Why would you let him do this to you? Why not just train your heart out in order to surpass someone... like a true Saiyan prince would?"

"Reality has sunk in for me, Kakarot! I've dedicated my entire life to training, and look where it has gotten me! I was just an average fighter! Well guess what, clown?! Average isn't good enough for me!"

"I'm sorry it came to that, Vegeta... But what are you planning to do with your new body?"

"I'm going to give you all some time to train and become the best warriors you can.. I will then come back, and have a good fight with each and every one of you. Either I will kill each and every one of you worms and take my rightful place as immortal ruler, or one of you will kill me... which would mean I truly was not destined to be a ruler.." Vegeta explained, carrying some fashion of regality, however also staying calm and sophistocated.

"How long do we have?" Tien asked.

"Hah! You think I'm going to tell you when I plan to attack? Do you think Frieza sent me an e-mail in advance before he blew up my planet and everything I ever knew and loved?" Vegeta smirked as he responded quickly, "This isn't a game, human. I suggest you grow up if you wish to survive!" Vegeta turned to look back at Gero, "As for you... You better stay away from me. You might as well make friends with Kakarot, because I'm the only enemy you should concern yourself with for right now."

"But.. But I made you what you are! You owe me everything!" Dr. Gero pleaded, not necessarily with an angry tone; he didn't wish to anger Vegeta any further, however did want to do all he could to calm him down.

"I don't owe you anything, old man!" Vegeta argued plainly, giving no supporting evidence to his claim, "Until later..." Vegeta said as he darted into the skies.

The androids had left slowly, retreating back to Gero's hideout, as the Z Fighters returned to their respective homes after some discussion of the event.

_Vegeta was right, Gero... He doesn't owe you anything... He owes every bit of what's happened to him to me... If Trunks was born, Vegeta would have became a good guy.. a husband.. a father... and not an android that was going to kill us all.._

Future Gohan sat at a table with Bulma inside one of the buildings which remained unharmed during the attack.

"Today was pretty scary..." Gohan began.

"You know what, though? Between the androids flying around and the lightning knocking down trees... and all the other chaos going on... I never feared for my life, not even for a second.." Bulma admitted.

Gohan looked up as his mouth opened slightly, "Really? Even I had my moments out there.."

"Yeah, the situation was bad and all.. But I saw you dealing with everything so well... You pulled everyone together to defeat King Cold.. It was so great!"

Gohan simply smiled, his mouth closed now.

"Ever since that day that you came from the future.. and you told me everything would be alright... I've always trusted you, and I've always felt safe when you were around, even in questionable circumstances like today."

Future Gohan's eyes became slightly watery. _She may not have feared for her life today, but I feared for her life, even more so than mine.. I'm so grateful that she's still here... still alive and able to sit here with me.._ Gohan suddenly had a flashback of Trunks laying in his timeline's version of West City, which had many more broken buildings. He could clearly picture Trunks lying in the broken pavement, a hole in his abdomen, as his mother hugged him, saying goodbye to her only son.

Gohan hugged Bulma tightly as he sucked back any thoughts of tears he had. _What if she died today? What if she'll die tomorrow? I have to tell her now, while she's still here.._

"Bulma... My name isn't Godan.."


	14. Chapter 14: Brainstorming

"I'm not Goku's second-born son... I'm his first-born!" Gohan admitted, as he bent his neck downward, covering his face with his large hands, "My name is Gohan, and I've been lying to you this whole time!"

"I... I don't know what to say.. So, you're just an older version of Gohan from the future?"

"Yeah, that's pretty much it... You don't sound very upset.. or even freaked out."

"Well, this is a little strange; I won't lie, but you're still the same man that I've fallen for, and your name won't change that... I just wanna know why you didn't tell me sooner.."

Goku and Present Gohan had returned home, now that Goku had regained all of his strength. Ox King was keeping Chi-Chi calm, as she was worried sick. Not only did she know that there was going to be a large fight, but she didn't want Gohan to get a cold since he left his jacket at home and it was raining out. They explained the situation which was at hand - told them both that Vegeta was going to come back on some unforseen day and go on a rampage until he found someone who could defeat him.

"There were a few reasons.. I thought you would be freaked out, seeing as you've known the other Gohan-" he stopped himself, "-me ever since he-" he stopped himself once more, "-I was a kid.."

There was a pause. Neither of them said anything.

"Not only that, but... I thought you might get confused over which one of us you were in love with.. or if you were in love with both of us."

"Now Goda-" she had to stop herself, "Gohan... I'm an intelligent woman. I know how time travel works. You grew up in a different time than Present Gohan. I know you two are different people with different personalities. That being said, I know for sure that you're the one I want to be with."

Yamcha, Tien, and Krillin had returned to the Kame House to inform the others about the situation at hand.

"Vegeta is an android?!" Master Roshi asked, shocked beyond belief, "I mean.. I always knew he was a tough cookie, but that's a lot!"

"It's really weird.. His intentions don't even seem completely evil necessarily.. He could have easily killed us all right then and there, but instead he wants us to train so that we can become more of a challenge for him." Krillin elaborated in a somewhat quiet tone.

"What makes this difficult is that we have no idea when he's going to come back, or where he'll be when he comes back!" Yamcha pointed out.

"Yeah... I mean, when Godan came around and warned us of the androids, he knew the exact day that they would arrive. That let us balance out our training and become prepared." Tien added.

"Hmm.. I certainly see how the element of surprise can be a hindrance to training," Master Roshi said, stroking his bearded chin while looking down at the old, wooden floor of his abode, "but all that means is that we should waste no time!"

The trio looked up at Roshi, somewhat surprised, as he began to take the role of a leader and master, which he had not for well over a decade.

"He could come tomorrow.. He could come next week! He could come in twenty years! No matter what day he is to come, we need to be ready to put up a good fight for him!" Roshi pounded his right fist onto his left-hand palm, "and you can't do that if you sit around complaining!"

Future Gohan smiled, happy that Bulma was not too disturbed by the information he had just given her, "Thank you so much, Bulma. I should have known you would understand from the start."

They hugged warmly as Bulma changed the subject, "So, about Vegeta being an android... How are you planning on training until he gets here?"

"I'm not too sure, really. I'm planning on heading over to dad's house sometime tomorrow and seeing what he and Present Me are going to do in preparation," Future Gohan thought for a moment, "Wait... Did you see Piccolo at all today?"

"Umm... I don't really remember seeing him. Why?"

"It's weird that he wouldn't show up to a fight that intense.. It wouldn't have hurt to have him around, either. I should try to find him sometime tomorrow before I go see dad."

"No way, Goku! If Vegeta is half as strong as you say he is, then Gohan will be of no use to the fight anyway! Get your grown-up friends to fight him! They don't have to study!" Chi-Chi shouted.

"Chi-Chi, you don't understand! Age has nothing to do with this! Gohan is more powerful than any of the adult humans that you know.. With the proper training, he could be just as strong - maybe even stronger than me," Goku argued.

Present Gohan's mouth opened as he looked up to his tall father. He was expecting to see a smile, which usually indicates hyperbole or a joking attitude from his father, however saw a serious face on him instead.

Chi-Chi opened her mouth as if she were about to give Goku a strongly-worded rebuttal, however she stopped herself. Her mouth closed and her eyebrows fell, "You're.. You're serious, aren't you, Goku?"

"I've never been more serious in my entire life. This threat is no joke. As we stood earlier today in West City, Vegeta could have destroyed us all! Even me!"

"Fine... Just please keep our sweet boy alright." she submitted.

"Of course I will... But he may be the one to keep me safe."

The worn out Z Fighters slept restlessly that night, barely catching any winks. All they could do was worry. _What if he comes while I'm asleep? What if no one is strong enough to stop him when he gets here? What's going to happen?_ Those and many other thoughts raced through their tired minds that night.

Goku and Present Gohan had arrived at the Kame House early that morning.

"Glad you guys could make it over here. If we're going to stop Vegeta, we better get training right now!" Yamcha said.

Furue Gohan flew through the mountains and valleys, searching for Piccolo. He had missed an importanty day yesterday, and he needed to inform him of what had happened in his absence. As he scanned the terrains, he did not feel a significant power level.

_I know he's alive.. The androids were there in West City, and he could take on anything else that came his way.._

He continued to traverse the forests, now sprinting on foot through the dense walls of trees and other flora.

"Gohan! Look up!" an unseen voice shouted from above.

Future Gohan quickly ascended above the trees to see Piccolo hovering in front of him.

"Piccolo! Boy, am I glad you're alright! I have a lot of grim news to tell you about, though..."

"I know... Vegeta is an android." Piccolo stated, looking straight ahead, instead of making eye contact with Gohan.

"Gah! How do you know that?" Gohan asked, shocked and confused.

"Seven months ago when you and I talked to Vegeta and Cold, I had my suspicions of what they might be up to. As I told you that evening, I knew their intents weren't half as innocent as they put them out to be," Piccolo began.

Gohan nodded his head, recalling that day very easily.

Piccolo continued, "When I told everyone I would be training out in the mountains, that wasn't a lie; I just didn't tell the entire truth."

Gohan's left eyebrow raised, "What do you mean? What did you do out here?"

"For the first month and a half or so, I went through typical, arduous training. I knew that we weren't done fighting, but I still wasn't sure what was going to happen with certainty. It wasn't until later that I put all the pieces together. Surely if Vegeta was training, we would be able to sense his energy, correct?"

"Yeah.. He does train pretty rough," Gohan answered, wanting to see where Piccolo was going with this.

"Well, he was nowhere to be felt. Then I remembered that he had perfectly described the other androids. I took your word for it that he wasn't able to defeat them, and that he must have been lying for one reason or another. Knowing Vegeta, I knew power was his alterior motive."

"I see... So you've known for a while now, huh? But why didn't you show up at West City yesterday? There was a huge fight!"

"Because.. Ever since I realized what had happened to Vegeta, I've been developing a new technique that I think will seriously help us out in the future... I was still working on it yesterday, and I trusted that you guys had the situation under control. I know time is precious, so I didn't want to waste any being at a battle where I wouldn't even fight very much..."

"What's this technique you're talking about? Some new blast? Something that will help us move around quicker?"

"It's no variant of techniques we've used before. What is one advantage that the androids have over us?" Piccolo asked.

_Well, they have quite a few... Which one is he specifically talking about?_

As he did not answer, Piccolo simply continued, "Their lack of detectable ki. I think I've found a way to completely mask our energy, even while using our powers to their maximum. As far as energy goes, we might as well be androids while using this."

"Sounds like something the others should hear about. We all might as well start practicing it before Vegeta comes back." Gohan said, smiling.

Future Gohan and Piccolo began to fly toward the Kame House. During their trip, Gohan elaborated on the situation, explaining to Piccolo how Vegeta was going to come back some day and how they had an unforseen amount of time to train before his arrival.

Meanwhile in Gero's hideout, Gero sat on a cardboard box, resting his head in his two metallic hands. Android 17 stood, leaning against one of the cold walls of the base. 18 rested on a makeshift cot, her hands under her head, her eyes wide open and staring at the ceiling. 16 stood at the edge of the hideout, staring out at the landscape in front of him.

"Seven months.. Seven months' work... all gone!" Gero whined.

"Oh, shut up! You knew it was a risky idea from the start! It was your fault for trusting those two!" Android 17 argued, pointing his finger at Gero.

"Cold was going just fine! He was obeying his orders and doing a darn-good job at it, too! Vegeta decided to rebel, however... and-"

Android 18 butted in, "-And now we're all screwed."

"To put it bluntly, yes, yes we are..." Gero admitted.

"So what are we even going to do before Vegeta comes back, whenever he comes back?" Android 17 asked, "I mean... We're androids, so it's not like we can train to become stronger like the Z Fighters. The best you can do is give us little augmentations here and there."

"True..." Gero said. Gero thought to himself, _However there is one more hope for android-kind! How could I have not thought of this sooner!_


	15. Chapter 15: Hide and Seek

Roughly two and a half years had passed since the fateful fight in West City, where Vegeta revealed to the Z Fighters that he had Dr. Gero rebuild him as an android, only to double-cross him, promising he would someday return to fight until when, or if, he was defeated. He would not disclose the time that he planned on arriving, which created a sense of tension and suspense in all of the valiant fighters; he could arrive literally any day, and they knew that.

In those two years, the Z Fighters had gone through quite a lot of their own personal duties.

Piccolo had taught all of his fellow comrades the technique he had invented, which allowed them to supress their power almost identically to how the androids do. They had been able to do this in the past, however now they could go completely undetected even while using their powers to their fullest extent.

Future Gohan, who had begun to be much more open with Bulma over this time period, explained some of the things about his life to her, as she began to innocently ask more questions. One night, Bulma began to question the "Trunks" person that Gohan asked about one day at the Kame House while Goku was recovering from the heart virus. He was at first reluctant to tell her of him, seeing as speaking of Trunks was always a touchy subject for him, however he reminded himself that he didn't want Bulma to die without knowing the truth, and, as painful as it was for him to realize it, all of them could die any day. He had even informed Present Gohan of his true identity at this point. He was on the fence about doing so, since he did not want Present Gohan to feel as though he had an obligation to become as strong as Future Gohan, nor that Future Gohan's strength could not be surpassed by his own; he wished for Present Gohan to go his own way. He changed his mind, as he realized trust was important in these days; he had been realizing that more and more ever since Vegeta turned on the crew.

"Trunks was... Trunks was your son in my alternate timeline." Future Gohan explained.

"Wha? Who was his father?" Bulma asked, "I mean... Yamcha and I used to date, but I was done with him years ago!"

"The father wasn't Yamcha... Trunks was a half-Saiyan like me."

"What Saiyan would I have had a kid with? Was it you?"

"No, it wasn't me, either... I did live with you and Trunks, though."

"Oh, I see..." Bulma looked up, "Well, I assume Goku was still married to Chi-Chi... Hmm..."

Bulma eventually deduced that Vegeta must have been the father. She felt ashamed for her future counterpart, however then felt even better about being with Future Gohan after seeing what kind of monster Vegeta turned into. He did explain to her that he, while still being a brute, was significantly softer after having a child, however. Over time, he revealed more and more to her about his life in the future; she rarely asked him to do so, as she understood that it was hard for him to talk about it, but Gohan grew more open about his past life, and more open with the idea of letting Bulma know about it. The rest of the Z Fighters, including Present Gohan, later learned the truth as well.

_I wouldn't have thought Trunks was going to die that night... You can't take people for granted. They all deserve to know everything._

Dr. Gero had been working arduously on tweaking the androids so that they could stand a chance against Vegeta on the fateful day of his unexpected arrival. He was eerie of getting too involved in any time-consuming upgrades that may inconveniently leave one of his androids incapacitated during his arrival, and tried to stick to smaller upgrades, knowing that he had a secret trick up his sleeve. Even though Vegeta had suggested that he and the androids form an alliance with Goku, he refused to do so. None of the Z Fighters would be able to contact him inquiring about a truce to face their common enemy as they were still unaware of exactly where Gero's hideout was located, nor did they concern themselves with it too much at this point. They knew that, while the androids may not help them or work with them, the androids would not strike the Z Fighters, and would instead be far more concerned with their defenses as opposed to their offense.

Goku, Present Gohan, Future and Piccolo had met one evening right at sunset in a wide open plain. The grass was a healthy green as a timid breeze filled the air.

"Alright. We're going to play a little game of hide and seek," Piccolo began, a devilish grin on his face.

"Cool! I love that game!" Goku cheered.

Piccolo sighed, "Goku, try to have some sense of authority in front of the boys."

Goku straightened up quickly, standing tall and firm, "Right!"

"Goku and I are going to be masking our powers and hiding somewhere in those nearby forests. You two will have to find us. Use whatever methods you deem suitable; you can split up or stay together."

"Oh, I get it! It'll be like if we're trying to find Vegeta!" Present Gohan exclaimed, smiling.

"Precisely. Now you two turn around and count to two. That should give us plenty of time to get hidden," Piccolo replied.

The two Gohans turned around, covered their eyes, and counted, "One, two," then turned around swiftly, uncovering their eyes. They immediately began to scan the area for signs of movement.

"So what do you think? Should we split or not?" Future Gohan asked.

"Well, if we stay together, we'll probably find one of them, but it'll be easier for the other to run away," Present Gohan stated.

"That's true. But if we split up, we may not find either of them."

"Let's just roam around together at first, and maybe split up if we can't find them," Present Gohan suggested.

"Sounds good to me!" Future Gohan agreed as they both began to sprint into the forests, Future Gohan slowing himself down so that his younger counterpart could keep up with him.

"Gee, it's gonna be hard to find Mr. Piccolo..." Present Gohan said.

"How so?"

"Well, I mean.. He's going to blend in with the trees!"

Future Gohan chuckled, enjoying the innocence that his counterpart held. He missed his normal life as a child, but after seeing what the androids did to his timeline, a person naturally becomes much more hardened and grim.

Future Gohan suddenly stopped in his tracks. It took Present Gohan a moment to notice this, stop himself, and walk back.

"What?" Present Gohan whispered.

"I heard a sound.. I think it came from an animal," Future Gohan replied, also whispering. He crouched down to roughly the same height level as Present Gohan as he carefully stepped forward. He moved bushes and shrubs out of his way as he approached the noise. He stopped after a minute or so.

"In three... two... one!" Future Gohan whispered as he leaped through the dense bushes, knowing that the target was very close. Present Gohan eagerly followed, loving the sense of adventure he got from spending time with his counterpart.

The duo jumped through the plantlife, only to be incredibly disappointed at what they saw.

"Aww! I thought it was going to be a monster!" Present Gohan shouted.

Future Gohan simply laughed, "Well, this was easy!"

They were staring at Goku, who had attacked a boar he found in the woods and had began to eat.

"One down! Now we just gotta find Piccolo!" Future Gohan announced. The duo ran throughout the woods as Goku stayed behind. As they moved trees and looked under shrubs, they could not seem to find their Namekian friend, who was much better at this game than their father.

"Maybe now is the time for us to split up," Future Gohan said.

"Yeah, I think you're right."

"Alright. I'll keep going in this direction, and how about you head east," Future Gohan suggested, pointing eastward.

"Right!" Present Gohan saluted as he rushed to do as he was told.

As Present Gohan headed in the instructed direction, he heard rustling in the leaves. He could tell unrest was taking place above the ground, most likely in trees as opposed to grounded bushes. He slowly ascended into the air as he moved at a reasonable pace. He slowly raised his head above the leaves which used to be above him. His short jet black hair became a mess as he slowly moved through the greenery. He wished to not raise himself up too high, as to alert Piccolo, however wanted to be able to see whatever was making the noise.

He scanned his eyes across the areas. _Nothing._

Remaining in his hovered position, he bent his neck slowly, glancing back at what was below.

_No way!_ he thought. He immediately darted back to the ground, seeing Piccolo's arm laying on the ground.

"Mr. Piccolo, I found you! Hehehehe, you got bored waiting for us, didn't you?" he playfully said, shaking his arm.

Piccolo did not respond.

"Get up! We already found dad!"

Piccolo did not respond.

"Mr. Piccolo, I know it's you! Stop hiding!"

Piccolo did not respond. Gohan heard a noise to his right. He took his arms off of Piccolo as he shivered in fear at what stood before him.

"V-Vegeta!"


End file.
